The Watergate Scandal - Five Men Break into the DNC Headquarters on Jun 17, 1972

[DonRocks]

The Watergate Scandal is the first news item I can ever remember being thoroughly *sick* of hearing about (I was 11).

Forty-five years ago today, there was this:

"On This Day, Nixon Assures Reporters He's 'Not a Crook'" on upi.com

 

[Mark Slater]

I remember watching as much of it as I could. Only the OJ trial eclipsed it at the time. 

[DaveO]

22 hours ago, DonRocks said:

The Watergate Scandal is the first news item I can ever remember being thoroughly *sick* of hearing about (I was 11).

16 hours ago, Mark Slater said:

I remember watching as much of it as I could. Only the OJ trial eclipsed it at the time. 

I also watched and read as much as I could...and I loved seeing the evidence mount against Nixon.

Some perspective:   ‘72 was the first election in which I could vote.  I was in college and working and switched my location to Md to make voting local and easier.

In early ‘72 Muskie, the Dem primary favorite dropped out due to a damaging report and his reaction.  It turned out to be a faked report by the GOP operatives.  The Vietnam war was clearly winding down.  The economy was strong and unemployment was low.   During early ‘72 Nixon had strong leads against any potential election opponent.  

We didn’t know it at the time but in early ‘72 the GOP planned covert wiretapping of Dem election offices at the Watergate.  By mid Spring into early summer McGovern won the Dem nomination for Pres.  He  couldn’t get a running mate.   Meanwhile the Watergate breakin occurred and the perps were captured.  

 McGovern chose  Sen Thomas Eagleton.  In less than 3 weeks Eagleton was off the ticket as he hadn’t revealed prior electric shock treatment for depression.   Meanwhile McGovern got the devastating moniker/ descriptor of being for “amnesty, acid, and abortion.  Sargent Shriver of Md, and husband to a Kennedy sister replaced Eagleton.

McGovern was getting slaughtered in the polls.   Slaughtered.  He was the political left wing version of Goldwater in 1964.  McGovern was the extremist.   

Meanwhile there were small pieces of news attaching the Watergate burglars to the Nixon campaign and the WH.  That news was light and had no traction.

By August Nixon was crushing McGovern in the polls.   In September one of my college apt. mates, a good friend but an annoyingly  brilliant political type became “the college representative to the Shriver campaign”.  I don’t think he did anything substantive but did shmooze and hang out  at the Md campaign offices for Shriver.  He did bring back news of private polls:   Nixon-Agnew was crushing McGovern-Shriver—same news as the Gallup polls.

The election occurred and I was in the 40%  minority voting for McGovern, while convinced Nixon was a crook.

The Watergate investigations went on and the evidence mounted against the WH.   Meanwhile it was discovered that Agnew was a crooked money extorting politician.  He left office.

I loved Watergate (and felt vindicated).

Today’s environment is so similar.  It is surreal.

[DIShGo]

The '72 election was the first and only time my parents didn't vote for President. They couldn't stomach either option. 

I was 10 and vacationing with my family in DC on the day Nixon resigned. TV reporters were everywhere, getting reactions from people on the street. Nixon's helicopter flew over us and we drove out of town.

[Mark Slater]

Just as an aside, when I worked at the Watergate Hotel starting in 1984, the famous door that had been taped open by the "burglars", was just a random door in the parking garage with no plaque or identifying sign. It always seemed very strange to me. 

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Mark Slater said:

Just as an aside, when I worked at the Watergate Hotel starting in 1984, the famous door that had been taped open by the "burglars", was just a random door in the parking garage with no plaque or identifying sign. It always seemed very strange to me. 

Just outside a parking garage in Rosslyn, there's a historical marker about the meetings with Deep Throat.

[DaveO]

On its own, now well over 40 years old, the Watergate scandal is interesting history.  Beyond that it has so many elements that are similar to today's environment.  That makes it more interesting with possible lessons to be learned.

One interesting facet has to do with the rise and fall of Richard Nixon's popularity.  He became President in January 1969.  He resigned from the Presidency in August 1974.  In November 1972 he utterly trounced George McGovern in the Presidential election with the most dominant electoral vote ever and a percentage of the popular vote that was just shy of the record, and so overwhelmingly better than all but one election in modern American history.

Here is a view into Nixon's popularity  during his presidency according to polls.  From peak to valley it is unprecedented.

[DaveO]

John Dean, WH lawyer during Nixon’s presidency, involved in the Watergate coverup, became a witness for the prosecution, pleaded guilty to one count and had reduced jail time b/c of that is a “commentator” on today’s situation.

With the latest news he just said Nixon wouldn’t go as far as Trump

Of course Woodward and Bernstein are newsworthy these days.

Thanks to Trump it’s Watergate reunion time.