Richard Nixon “I am not a Crook”. 37 th President of the United States of America Serving from 1969-1974 Worked for the federal government since.

Richard Nixon“I am not a Crook”

37th President of the United States of America

Serving from 1969-1974 Worked for the federal government since

1942 Only president to resign the office of the

Presidency Enigma (paradox)

Increase involvement in Vietnam and then helped to end the war

Took a hard line on communism and then ushered in détente

Return power to the States but then increased the power of the federal government

Increased some federal welfare program but dismantled (got rid of ) others

Increased the power of the presidency and then that very power lead to his downfall

Richard M Nixon

Richard M Nixon (R) vs Herbert Humphrey Nixon wins 1968 election

Promises to restore Law and Order Silent Majority Plan to get US out of Vietnam

Decrease the “Credibility Gap”

1968 Presidential Election Year

Saw that people were upset with the big government of LBJ but still wanted the government to provide a basic standard of living

Said he would reverse the flow of power from the States to Washington back from Washington to the States Money would come from the federal

government to fund social programs but the states would control the operations/spending for these social programs

Called “Revenue Sharing”

New Federalism

Nixon continues to increase the power of the executive branch Term coined by Historian

Arthur M Schlesinger, Jr Restoring Law and

Order Illegal wire tapes CIA investigated

American citizens Created the “Enemies

List” List of Americans that

the administration would harass

The Imperial President

There have only been three times that there were five

living presidents at the same times Photo graph

taken at Nixon’ burial 1994.

Distance from Congress

Small group of loyal advisers H.R. Haldeman – chief

of staff John Ehrlichman –

domestic advisor John Mitchell – attorney

general Desire for secrecy and

consolidation of power Developed idea that

they were above the law

The President’s Men

US experienced “stagflation” a recession and inflation at the same time

Causes gov spending money (expanding federal budget deficits –

due to war) no jobs (Rising foreign competition - cost American’s

their jobs) Government gone bad!

Add to Stagflation OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

Placed an embargo in Israel’s allies Oil prices went up 400% Lasted until spring of 1974 Gas lines became a daily occurrence

Tried to fix it – no real luck

Nixon and the economy

Foreign policy was were it was at National Security advisor – Henry Kissinger Practice “Realpolitik”

Realistic foreign policies should be based on power not morals and ethics

Took a more flexible approach with Soviet Union and China Wanted to ease tension Traveled to China in 1971 Traveled to Soviet Union in 1972

Opened up diplomatic and economic relations with both countries

Made him very popular and was widely received

Nixon and Détente

Nixon at the Great Wall

Nixon meets with Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev.

Had narrowly won in 1968 Wanted to expand his base of support Southern Strategy

Plan to win over the South Targeted blue collar workers and southern whites

who had traditional voted Democratic Some actions taken

Appointed conservative judges to Supreme Court Asked for a freeze on court ordered busing

Plan worked In 1972 won 61% of the popular votes and 520 of

the electoral votes to George McGovern’s 37% and 17

Became first Republican to sweep the entire South

The 1972 Election Campaign

1972 Presidential Results

Botched burglary attempt at DNC in Watergate at 2:30 am on June 17, 1972 Photograph documents outlining Dem Party

strategy “bug” the phones

Burglars were tired in 1973 James McCord (one of the burglars – former CIA

agent) charged that the administration had been involved John Mitchell was CReeP director

Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated and uncovered the Watergate Scandal Followed tip from “Deep Throat” (a top FBI official)

Nixon forced to resign on August 8, 1974

Watergate Brings Nixon Down

Cover up began Shredded documents in Halderman’s

office Asked the CIA to stop FBI investigations

into the burglary on the grounds of national security

CReeP gave out $450,000 to the burglars to buy their silence

Events of Watergate

Deep Throat – Mark Felt

Judge John Sirica in the trail of the burglars made it clear he felt the men has not acted alone

James McCord admitted his lied under oath and hinted that members of Nixon’s administration knew

Nixon announced the resignations of Haldeman and Ehrlichman, and John Dean All had been involved in Watergate

Nixon went on TV and denied any attempt to cover up Watergate

Senate begins it own investigation of Watergate

Cover up Unravels

John Dean said that the President had been deeply involved in the cover-up

Alexander Butterfield, an aid to the president, told the committee that Nixon had taped all of his conversations “to help him write his memoirs” http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeQXopJ5U-Q

Testimony

Archibald Cox, special prosecutor for the case asked for the tapes

Nixon refused Nixon ordered Att General Richardson to fire

Cox He would not and resigned Deputy attorney general also refused and he

was fired Finally Solicitor General did fire Cox Event became known as the Saturday Night

Massacre http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_

5AndvL7Y9k

Saturday Night Massacre

Spring of 1974 he told Americans that he was going to release 1,254 page doc of edited transcripts

Investigators demanded the unedited tapes Supreme court ruled that he must surrender the tapes

It would not violate national security At a press conference he said, “I am not a crook.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh163n1lJ4M House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of

impeachment Obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of

Congress Nixon released the tapes

Many gaps 18 ½ min gap Tape dated June 23 reveled that he had agreed to the

plan to cover up and obstruct justice Smoking Gun

Nixon Releases the Tapes

The Watergate “Five” (Bob Haldeman, John Mardian, Kenneth Parkinson, John

Ehrlichman, John Mitchell),

Brings a President down and 24 members of his administration

American public becomes cynical/disillusionment with the federal government Truthfulness government falls from 80% to 33%

Congress establishes method for naming an independent counsel to investigate the White House

Shows the System of Checks and Balances really does work The other two branches checked the power of

the presidency

Aftermath of Watergate