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Nixon. Narrow victory in ‘68 At odds with Democrat-controlled Congress Welfare Revenue sharing-social program compromise Had a very tight inner circle of advisors(Dean, Mitchell, Erlichman, Haldeman) Used federal agencies to create “enemies list” Attempt at gaining Southern support
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Nixon Narrow victory in ‘68 At odds with Democrat-controlled Congress Welfare Revenue sharing-social program compromise Had a very tight inner circle of advisors(Dean, Mitchell, Erlichman, Haldeman) Used federal agencies to create “enemies list” Attempt at gaining Southern support Positives: Moon landing Ending Vietnam War Détente-China and USSR trips
Given chance to change face of Supreme Court • Problems with economy • US experiences stagflation • All attempts to fix it fail • Situation will worsen even after Nixon is out of office • Primary reasons for bad economy: • Deficit spending during Vietnam War • Other countries rise as economic powers • US workforce grew faster than # of new jobs • OPEC crisis and the 1973 Yom Kippur War • 1972 election • “peace is at hand” in Vietnam, slightly improved economic indicators and McGovern’s far left ideas allow Nixon stomp McGovern like a grape in a wine factory.(over 60% of popular vote and 49 of 50 states in the electoral college)
Losing the 1960 election causes increased paranonia in Nixon • Taking his enemies list a few steps further, Nixon orders the plumbers to break into Ellsberg’s doctors office • Brief Watergate timeline: • June 17 1972-Plumbers are caught at Watergate Hotel planting bugs at DNC HQ. Dean denies link • October 1972- FBI establishes link between Watergate and massive spying operation conducted by CREEP • January 1973-Liddy, McCord and 5 others are convicted for Watergate incident • Feb. ‘73-My 1st Birthday Party, should have been there • April 1973- Haldeman, Erlichmann, and AG resign, Dean is fired
May 1973 Senate Watergate Committee begins hearing, Cox is appointed special prosecutor • June 1973- Dean admits discussing cover-up with Nixon at least 35 times. Mitchell denies it. • June-July 1973-Memos begin to surface and it is revealed all conversations are recorded in White House. Nixon refuses to turn over tapes. • October 20 1973- “Saturday Night Massacre”. Nixon fires Cox, abolishes office of special prosecutor, more staffers resign • Pressure to impeach begins to build • November 17 1973- Nixon declares “I am not a crook” • December 1973- 18 1/2 minutes of tape is deleted (the smoking gun)
February 1974-My 2nd birthday party, it was a real hoot • July 24 1974- Supreme Court states Nixon cannot hide behind executive privilege, he must turn over tapes • July 27, 1974- House passes 1st of 3 articles of impeachment (obstruction of justice) • August 8 1974- Nixon becomes 1st President to resign office • September 1974- President Ford grants Nixon a pardon • Ford urged America to put Watergate in the past • Economy continues to worsen during Ford Administration • Ford’s attempts to fix economy do not work • Nixon’s pardon, a weak economy and an average foreign policy costs Ford the ‘76 election