30.4 Watergate: Nixon’s Domestic Nightmare

The 1972 election saw Nixon's campaign employ dirty tricks and illegal tactics, leading to the Watergate break-in. Despite the scandal, Nixon won re-election in a landslide. However, the cover-up unraveled, forcing Nixon to resign in 1974.

Gerald Ford took office, pardoning Nixon and facing economic challenges. He continued détente with the USSR and oversaw the end of the Vietnam War. Despite efforts to heal the nation, Ford lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter.

The 1972 Election and Watergate Scandal

Nixon's 1972 campaign strategies

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• Nixon's re-election campaign, the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP or CREEP) raised large amounts of money, often through illegal means employed "dirty tricks" against Democratic opponents
  • Forged letters, planted spies, orchestrated break-ins aimed at sabotaging opposition campaigns
• June 17, 1972: Five men connected to CRP arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex attempting to plant wiretaps steal documents
• Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated the break-in uncovered connections between the burglars Nixon's re-election campaign through a series of confidential informants (Deep Throat)
• Despite the growing scandal, Nixon won the 1972 election in a landslide against George McGovern capitalizing on his foreign policy successes (China, Soviet Union) and a weak Democratic opponent

The Watergate Cover-up and Its Consequences

• Nixon and his associates engaged in a massive cover-up to conceal their involvement in the Watergate break-in
• The White House "Plumbers" unit, originally created to stop leaks, became involved in illegal activities
• Nixon invoked executive privilege to withhold information from investigators
• The cover-up led to charges of obstruction of justice against Nixon and his aides

Impact of Watergate scandal

• Senate hearings revealed Nixon's involvement in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in
  • White House Counsel John Dean testified about Nixon's role in the cover-up
  • Existence of a secret White House taping system revealed containing incriminating evidence
• October 1973: Saturday Night Massacre occurred when Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox
  • Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus resigned in protest sparking a constitutional crisis
• July 1974: Supreme Court ordered Nixon to release the White House tapes which revealed Nixon's direct involvement in the cover-up
• August 8, 1974: Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment becoming the first U.S. president to resign from office
• Watergate scandal eroded public trust in government politicians leading to increased scrutiny of presidential power campaign finance reform (Federal Election Campaign Act)

Gerald Ford's Presidency

Ford's presidency and policies

• Domestic policy
  • Pardoned Richard Nixon to help the nation move past Watergate, a controversial decision that likely contributed to Ford's defeat in the 1976 election
  • Faced economic challenges, including high inflation unemployment (stagflation)
    • Implemented the Whip Inflation Now (WIN) program, which had limited success in curbing inflation
  • Vetoed numerous spending bills to control budget deficits demonstrating fiscal conservatism
• Foreign policy
  • Continued Nixon's policy of détente with the Soviet Union signing the Helsinki Accords in 1975, which recognized post-World War II borders promoted human rights
  • Fall of Saigon in April 1975, marking the end of the Vietnam War
    • Ordered the evacuation of American personnel allied South Vietnamese refugees (Operation Frequent Wind)
  • Mayaguez Incident in May 1975
    1. U.S. merchant ship seized by Cambodia's Khmer Rouge
    2. Ford ordered a military operation to rescue the crew, which was successful but resulted in 41 U.S. casualties
    3. Demonstrated Ford's willingness to use military force to protect American interests
• Despite his efforts to heal the nation post-Watergate, Ford narrowly lost the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter due to the lingering impact of the scandal and economic challenges