...Controversial Pardon of Richard Nixon HIST102 American History Since 1877 Instructor: 22 February 2014 Former President Richard Nixon is most well-known for his role in the Watergate crisis in the early 1970’s. The Watergate crisis started in June of 1972, when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters was broke into by members of Nixon’s re-election committee. The press took this breaking news and began to dig deeper into what the Whitehouse (President Nixon) was hiding. Over the next two years heavy investigations into the Watergate incident revealed that President Nixon did, in fact, ordered a cover-up to keep the incident under control. Fearing impeachment, President Nixon resigned his presidency in August 1974, leaving Vice President Gerald Ford as the new president. Although Ford’s first act as president, granting a full pardon to Nixon, caused heavy controversy in the political and legal sectors; his decision was within his constitutional rights as president and in the best interest of the Americans public. Immediately following Ford’s pardon of Nixon critics, such as Philip Kurland, Edwin Firmage, and R. Collin Mangrum began to protest that Ford did not have the constitutional right to “issue a pre-trail pardon.”1 Kurland was believed that a pardon was meant to lessen the harshness of punishment for the accused; however, that is only the case if the judicial system worked.2 Firmage and Mangrum believed that the framers of our constitution did not...
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...The story of Watergate is both historically and politically interesting. It began to occur from the Pentagon Papers, in which Daniel Ellsberg handed over to the press. The Pentagon Papers contained secret documents outlining the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam (p.848).These secret documents would bring to light the deception of the the morning of June 17, 1972, at 2:30 a.m. 5 burglars were arrested inside the office of the Democratic National Committee, located inside of the Watergate building in Washington, D.C.. Being connected to President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign, and they had been caught while attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents. It was not immediately clear that the burglars were connected to the president, though suspicions were raised when detectives found copies of the reelection committee’s White House phone number among the burglars’ belongings.While historians are not sure whether Nixon knew about the Watergate espionage operation before it happened, he took steps to cover it up afterwards, raising “hush money” for the burglars, trying to stop the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from investigating the crime, destroying evidence and firing uncooperative staff members. In August 1974, after his role in the Watergate conspiracy had finally come to light, the president resigned. His successor, Gerald Ford, immediately pardoned Nixon for all the crimes he “committed or may have committed” while in office. Although Nixon was never...
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...(DNC) at the Watergate Hotel and Complex on June 17, 1972, the burglary was reported briefly and soon forgotten amidst other headlining news. Months later, the Watergate Burglary exploded when ties were found between the break-in and Richard Nixon’s Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) (Bernstein). Thus began the Watergate Scandal: the bugging and burglary at the Watergate Complex, the cover-up ordered by President Nixon himself, and the Watergate trials which revealed patterns of ethical misconduct within the Nixon administration. The scandal’s traditional timeline ranges from the break-in at the Watergate Complex, Washington D.C. in June of 1972...
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...from the election of Richard Nixon in 1968 to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 saw the problems of the 1960s come back to haunt the nation. In Vietnam, despite Nixon's efforts to conclude a "peace with honor," the American involvement ended with the victory of the North Vietnamese and a defeat for the United States. The moral authority of the powerful presidency that developed under Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson eroded as a result of Nixon's Watergate scandal. In an effort to avoid similar mistakes, the voters turned out Nixon's successor, Gerald Ford, in 1976 and elected a political newcomer, Jimmy Carter, of Georgia. In spite of their personal decency and hard work, neither Gerald Ford nor Jimmy Carter proved to be strong, effective presidents who could meet the challenges of the 1970s. Ford was the 38th President of the United States, and the only one to have served as both President and Vice President without being elected by the Electoral College. As President, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, marking a move toward détente in the Cold War. With the invasion of South Vietnam by the communist north nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement in Vietnam essentially ended. Domestically, Ford presided over arguably the weakest economy since the Great Depression, with growing inflation and a recession during his tenure. One of his more controversial acts was to grant a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal – this pardon...
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...The Watergate Scandal is one of the most serious political crimes committed by the President of the United States and his staff. Richard Nixon, anxious of losing his reelection, made an unacceptable move to place himself and the Republicans above of the Democratic party. The Watergate Scandal started with a few men , who broke in to the Democratic National Committee building, in order to plant listening devices, and stop leaks of any information regarding his earlier Presidency. The first article Watergate: The Unfinished Business, makes the reader willing to look deeply into the innocence of President Nixon. The author decided to present an important key events, rather than make a direct statement about Nixon's guilt. As a society, we want...
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...one of the ones that interests me the most is the Watergate Scandal. With that in mind, the book I chose to read is called Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon by Fred Emery. Although I had a basic knowledge of the scandal, I learned much by reading this book including those behind it and the coverup itself, in greater detail than I had known before. The book starts off by giving some background information including events that were transpiring during the Nixon administration. Many of these consist with Nixon’s handling of Vietnam and other events such as the Kent State Shootings and then the Pentagon Papers. Through this...
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...FBI's No. 2 Was 'Deep Throat' By David Von Drehle Deep Throat, the secret source whose insider guidance was vital to The Washington Post's groundbreaking coverage of the Watergate scandal, was a pillar of the FBI named W. Mark Felt, The Post confirmed yesterday. As the bureau's second- and third-ranking official during a period when the FBI was battling for its independence against the administration of President Richard M. Nixon, Felt had the means and the motive to help uncover the web of internal spies, secret surveillance, dirty tricks and coverups that led to Nixon's unprecedented resignation on Aug. 9, 1974, and to prison sentences for some of Nixon's highest-ranking aides. Felt's identity as Washington's most celebrated secret source had been an object of speculation for more than 30 years until yesterday, when his role was revealed by his family in a Vanity Fair magazine article. Even Nixon was caught on tape speculating that Felt was "an informer" as early as February 1973, at a time when Deep Throat was supplying confirmation and context for some of The Post's most explosive Watergate stories. But Felt's repeated denials, and the stalwart silence of the reporters he aided -- Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein -- kept the cloak of mystery drawn up around Deep Throat. In place of a name and a face, the source acquired a magic and a mystique. He was the romantic truth teller half hidden in the shadows of a Washington area parking...
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...United States president Richard Nixon between 1969-1974, and Macbeth are two people who experienced an exceptional rise to power, and because of their overpowering ambition; they are driven to commit crimes in order to maintain their power. Richard Nixon grew up in a poor family, who at the time was unable to provide Nixon with living expenses of going to Harvard University where he was offered a scholarship. After attending high school, Nixon went to local Whittier College where he gained the reputation of being a fearsome debater, well known in drama productions and an exceptional athlete. He went on to graduate from Duke University Law School, and went on to practice law. Of course for a man like Nixon with such flourishing visions, being...
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...Richard Milhous Nixon Nick Bennett Perspectives on the Presidency Dr. Kane 4 April 2011 Richard Milhous Nixon, an introverted man in an extroverted environment, was a brilliant but flawed individual. Described as having a “light side” and “dark side,” Nixon routinely displayed vindictive and insecure qualities that were very detrimental to his presidency. Nixon was a man of many complexities and contradictions that seemed to all stem from his troublesome childhood. Nixon excelled in foreign affairs as he broke the ice with numerous nations and possessed a remarkable knowledge. He was an innovative thinker and developed intricate strategies that would give him a bold portrayal. Although he had an undeniable amount of knowledge, he displayed many negative characteristics within his personality and views in regard to his power. Spending long nights alone, Nixon would evaluate problems, correlate the information and develop a very plausible solution. Regarding Richard Nixon and the notion of presidential power, he implemented some beneficial uses, however several examples of abuse. He would sometimes even act on issues without seeking approval or guidance from congress. Nixon used unjustified means in order to accomplish his tasks, thus sparking much debate concerning the extraordinary power of the United States President. Nixon’s personality can be described as paradoxical and flawed. His childhood was difficult to say...
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...by events such as the Vietnam War or Watergate? Part Two: What search engine did you use? Google What words did you type into the search engine to get your results? “american public opinion on watergate scandal” “american public opinion on vietnam war” What sources did you choose? Provide the web address and title of each source. Watergate Scandal: Nixon Resigns http://ropercenter.cornell.edu/the-american-publics-attitudes-about-nixon-post-watergate/ The American Public’s Attitudes about Richard Nixon Post-Watergate http://ropercenter.cornell.edu/the-american-publics-attitudes-about-nixon-post-watergate/ Vietnam War Protests http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-protests/...
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...just beginning their career for The Washington Post. Through the use of good reporting, investigating skills, and with the help of a secret source known at the time as “Deep throat,” Bernstein and Woodward we’re able to unravel the biggest presidential scandal in the history of the United States, The Richard Nixon Watergate scandal. Without the investigation of Bernstein and Woodward, The Watergate Scandal may have never been brought to light. The book chronicles everything from when Bernstein and Woodward were given an assignment to cover a burglary at the Watergate complex in Washington DC, to the events that led up to Nixon’s State of the Union address about one year from when the Watergate Scandal started to unravel. The book starts off with Bernstein and Woodward getting assigned to a story about a burglary at the Watergate Office Complex in Washington DC. The two were not overly excited to be assigned to the story, as it was meant to be a filler story for the paper, but something in particular struck the two of them about the story (Bernstein, 14). The burglary took place at the Democratic National Convention at the Watergate Complex. The burglary resulted in the arrest of five men who were charged with breaking and entering. Bernstein and Woodward went above and beyond their reporting duties and thought that there was something up with the burglary, especially because it occurred at the Democratic National Convention, so they continued to investigate the story. As...
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... Richard Nixon Library Extra Credit Richard Nixon was elected the 37th President of the United States (1969-1974) after previously serving as a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from California. After successfully ending American fighting in Vietnam and improving international relations with the U.S.S.R. and China, he became the only President to ever resign the office, as a result of the Watergate scandal. On May 31 I had the experience to visit the Nixon Library. The Nixon Library exhibits Presidents Nixon life and career. My experience in the museum was very good interesting too I was able to learn more about this president his life and the things he did for the United States. Also, able to watch video interviews with Nixon administrator’s officials and others who played important roles in twentieth-century. I was able to distinguish many different things that president did in the past from the present. For example, many of the ads were different in the past presidents I many ads in the elections now I think that presidents don’t use that much advertising the use it but not a lot like in the past. In the Nixon library they exhibit the presidential car now the presidential car has changed its more protected for the president’s safety. Even though President Nixon resigns from office due to the Watergate scandal he had many people that were there his whole presidency...
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...immigration policy was based on the quarter system that favored European immigrants. The Immigration Act of 1965 opened doors to more diversity casing American population of Asian and Hispanic people to increase. Gideon v. Wainwright: Landmark case, required states to provide poor criminal defendants with an attorney. Miranda v. Arizona: Landmark case, required the police to inform criminal suspects with their rights. Watergate: Watergate was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s as a result of the June 17, 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. President Richard Nixon's administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement of the White House, with President Nixon’s approval, by stopping the FBI and other police agencies from investigating the break in and the ground of national security. It caused a battle between the President and the Congress that challenged the power of presidency, as well as the roles of the Congress and the courts. President Richard Nixon resigned as a result on August 9, 1974. Three Mile Island: Partial nuclear meltdown that occurred on March, 1979, in one of the two Three Mile Island nuclear reactors. The Three Mile Island nuclear plant malfunctioned. It was the worst accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history. President Jimmy Carter and his wife went to visit the cite themselves to show to the nation that it was safe. Timeline...
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...Assignment 3: “World War II Through The 1970’s” Joseph L. Carter History 105 June 11, 2012 Professor Everett Hardy Strayer University Delaware County Campus Analyze the facts that war and propaganda had on American society World War 2 and the 1970’s. Looking at the history of the United States, never had the country seen such dramatic changes in the social, economic, and political structure that happened at the end of World War II. Multiple events throughout this period guided the direction of the United States government and the attitudes of Americans. This paper will provide a look into the evolution of the United States by analyzing the most significant events in the five decades after World War II. The 1950s brought about a new look into the foreign affairs for the United States government and the American people. After the victory of World War II, two allies of the war, the United States and the Soviet Union became bitter enemies that tried to secure a position of world leader. The Soviet Union had its Communist Manifesto that according to the Decades Project (1999) website stated, “a mission statement that provides that communism requires a world revolution and the destruction of capitalism in order to succeed”. This was a direct threat to the American Way of life, and started the beginning of the Cold War. With different ideals and hunger for power, both sides began to build up military strength, especially...
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...NOTE: Discussion items carry no actual grade point values. However, those students seeking consideration for their efforts should prepare, sign, and date an answer for their group’s discussion item. Answer sheets should also identify student’s class and section. Discussion items to be turned in should restate the discussion item and identify the chapter under review. All answer sheets should be typed double-spaced with standard 1” margins on all perimeters. All segment discussion items MUST be received before the end of class on each segment review date. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. 1. (A) Why was Richard Nixon NOT considered to be a ‘true’ conservative? (B) What constitutes a “Block Grant” as proposed by President Nixon? (C) What were the essential elements in Nixon’s proposed Family Assistance Plan and what were the legislative results? (D) What was Nixon’s Philadelphia plan? (a) Against the wishes and recommendation of the myopic conservative leadership in the late sixties Nixon expanded the welfare state and moved to improve relations with the Soviet Union but most of all he also opened up a dialogue with China. Instead of shrinking the federal bureaucracy as they hoped he would do Nixon infuriated his conservative base by creating a host of new federal agencies such as the Environmental protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board. He further alienated conservatives with his support for...
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