WATERGATE (1972-74) “People have a right to know if their president’s a crook. Well I am not a crook.” “There is a cancer growing on the presidency.” “I.

WATERGATE (1972-74)

• “People have a right to know if their president’s a crook. Well I am not a crook.”

• “There is a cancer growing on the presidency.”

• “I will resign the presidency at noon tomorrow.”

Background

• What is the context? What is America like in 1972? – What happens in November of 1972?

• What is the effect of Ellsberg on Nixon?

• What effect does individual character play on leadership? – Harvard? Whittier? 1960? 1962? Inadequacy? Fear?

“Remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them,

and then you destroy yourself.”

All the President’s Men• John Mitchell

– ATTORNEY GENERAL

– Head of CREP, 1972

• H.R. (Bob) Haldeman– CHIEF OF STAFF– “I am the president’s

SOB”

• John Dean

-White House Counsel

• Gordon Liddy

• Howard Hunt

• John Erlichman

The President’s Enemies• The Press

– Washington Post– NY Times

• Washington• The Kennedy’s• Liberals• Hippies• Protestors• Radicals• Pacifists

• Civil Rights Leaders• Black Panthers• Draft Dodgers• East Coast Establishment• Jews• Democrats

– John Kerry• Artists

– John Lennon• ANY person that doubted

him, questioned him, or failed to adore him.

And Most Importantly…

• The DISLOYAL

– The TRAITORS

– The COWARDS

– The LEAKERS like Daniel Ellsberg

– Supported by the press

• The Reporters: • Bob Woodward

(right) and Carl Bernstein (left) – “Woodward and

Bernstein”

• The Editor: • Ben Bradlee

June 17, 1972

“A Third Rate Burglary”At the Watergate

(Home of the National Democratic Party Headquarters

What happened at Watergate?

o June 17, 1972

o 5 burglars were caught outside the Democratic National Headquarters in the Watergate Complex wearing surgical gloves and sunglasses.

o They were caught with…oWalkie talkieso 40 rolls of unexposed filmo Two 35 mm cameraso Lock Pickso Tear Gas Gunso Bugging/ Listening Deviceso $ 2,301 in cash -(Bernstein)

(“W

ate

rgate

Cart

oons

Image

”)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Curiosities: Money

o The burglars had possession of over 2,000 dollars in

cash

o All in one hundred dollar bills

o The bills were in sequence rnstein)(“How to Save

Money”)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Curiosities: White House Connections

o Two burglars were found with an address book containing White House contact information

o H. Hunt W. House

o Connected crime to the United States Government ernstein)

H. Hunt

W. House

(“Paper”)

(“G-Mail Addresses”)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Connections to the White House

Burglars: Barker, McCord, Gonzalez, Martinez, Sturgis

Connections to the White House and C.R.E.P.: Hunt, Colson, Dahlberg

Slush Fund Receivers: Liddy, Magruder, Porter, Segretti (1971)

Slush Fund Distributers: Stans, Magruder, Kalmbach

Powerful Slush Fund Distributers: Mitchell, Haldeman

President Richard M. Nixon

(All the President’s Men)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Sources that Helped Woodstein

o Bookkeepero Worked in Finance for C.R.E.P.o Told Woodstein that a list of Slush Fund Receivers Was shreddedo Mitchell was present at shreddingo L, P, M

o SloanoUsed to work for C.R.E.P. under Stanso Listed names of Slush Fund Distributers

o Deep Throato Woodward’s Inside mano “Follow the money” o Told Woodstein everyone in government intelligence was involvedo Led them to Nixon

(“Mystery Man”)

(All the President’s Men)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Curiosities: Why would Nixon do this?

o Sabotage of the Democratic Party started in 1971o Segretti was hired by Chapin to destroy democrat Senator Muskie’s campaigno Canuck Letter caused Muskie to “self-destruct”o Muskie was Nixon’s toughest competitiono Now Nixon was going to run against McGovern, his weakest opponent

oThe huge cover up was designed to cover up whole covert operations, not just the Watergate break-in

(“Watergate”)

(All the President’s Men)

(“Watergate Complex”)

Why was this such a huge issue?

o Disheartened America’s belief in the political system

oNixon was the Presidento The President is supposed to uphold the law and set a good exampleo Instead he went behind the peoples’ backs

(“Nixon”)

(“Watergate Complex”)