Watergate Affair Essay, Research Paper
The Watergate Affair
This analysis of the news media coverage will focus on the Watergate
affair which originally began on June 17, 1972 with the break-in of the
Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the prestigious Watergate office
complex in Washington D.C.. I will primarily concentrate on the negative impact
that media coverage had to the publics eye. This media coverage, although
justified and appropriate for the situation, ultimately destroyed the
credibility of Nixon’s administration and the ability to run an effective
government which forced the first resignation of an American president.
The history of the events at hand is as follows. The Nixon
Administration financed a White House Special Investigative Unit called the
plumbers. This unit was initially established under John Erlichmann a top White
House aide, to ?plug? leaks from the White House to the press and consisted of
former FBI and CIA operatives. It comes to fact that these plumbers were
involved in illegal break-ins and wiretapping before the Watergate scandal. On
June 17, 1972, the night watchman at the Watergate complex discovered adhesive
tape on the basement doors of the complex. Five men were arrested that night
and began a series of inquiries and investigations into the possible corruption
of White House Officials. (Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, Volume 13,
page 1603)
Among those arrested on the night of June 17, 1972 were James McCord Jr.,
security coordinator for the Committee for the Re-election of the President (CRP
also known as CREEP). (New York Times, June 21, 1972, page 1, column 3)
Immediately after the arrests, the news media had already began initial
accusations and offering possible motives to the public through statements like:
? There was continuing speculation here and in the Cuban community in
Miami that unnamed men, in or out of an anti-Castro organization, had carried
out a number of politically sensitive operations to win the Governments sympathy
for 30,000 to 40,000 Cuban refugees living in Spain.? (4 Hunted in Inquiry on
Democratic Raid, New York Times, June 21, 1972, page 44, column 1)
On June 20, it came to the attention of President Richard Nixon that
there were connections made between the burglars and CRP and various White House
personnel. The president, on June 23, recommended that the CIA should prevent a
FBI inquiry into the Watergate incident based on national security interests.
To no avail, the FBI continued its investigation and eventually sifted through
the maze of paper trails and cover up. Evidence began to surface, pointing to
the administration itself. Realizing the internal nature of this situation,
stories began to look like this:
? No one was making any accusations yet, but in the midst of a curious
non-cooperation from the White House and the Committee for the Re-election of
the President, the suspicion grew that someone not far from the center of
Republican power in Washington had engineered the Watergate Caper.? (Watergate,
Contd., TIME Magazine, August 14, 1972, page 21)
As time went on, more and more evidence had begun to surface. On
September 15, 1972, the Justice Department obtained the indictments of seven men
said to be implicated: James W. McCord, Bernard L. Barker, Eugenio R. Martinez,
Frank A. Sturgis, and Virgilio R. Gonzalez, the five men originally arrested at
the Watergate complex. Also involved, and indicted were G. Gordon Liddy, chief
of the security unit called the ?plumbers? and former White House consultant, E.
Howard Hunt. These men were all charged with conspiring to break in and plant
listening devices into the phone lines at the Democratic National Headquarters.
One man, although implicated, was not charged. His name was Alfred Baldwin, an
FBI agent who was a bodyguard for John Mitchell, the campaign manager, and his
wife. Mr. Baldwin had admitted to being assigned by James McCord to monitor and
transcribe the transmissions from the illegal bugs. These transcriptions were
then given to McCord who then turned them into memos that were distributed among
the CRP. (Investigations: Seven Down On Watergate, TIME Magazine, September 25,
1972, page 21)
The funds used for this operation were authorized by one man, Jeb Stuart
Magruder, who became one of Nixon’s committee’s deputy directors. Before
joining CRP, Magruder was an assistant to the President’s chief of staff, H.R.
Haldeman, then later became assistant to Herb Klein, Director of Communications.
It has been said that Magruder was sent to Klein to spy on him for Haldeman.
Magruder, was not charged or indicted because he thought the money was being
used to get information about radicals and protesters who may try to disrupt the
Republican National Convention. (Denials and Still More Questions, TIME
Magazine, October 30, 1972, pages 18-19)
The news media continued to portray the event as a conspiracy from the
highest pinnacle of power within the United States. Although President Nixon
was never brought up on charges or indicted, the people definitely had a general
distrust of the Nixon Administration. The negative image portrayed by the
various news media eventually brought about questions of the legitimacy and
ethics of the current presidential administration. The televised committee
hearings led by Ervin on live television cast a light of criminality onto the
administration. White House aides and assistants were questioned and regarded
as common criminals. Typical ?playing up? by the media sources portrayed Nixon
as besieged, his popularity sagging, his Administration near shambles, his
reputation- and his future, dangerously on the line. (And the Mess Goes On,
Newsweek, September 25, 1972, page 16)
Despite the negative media coverage, in all fairness, there was some
coverage of the President in defense. One article wrote:
? A few Nixon defenders have vehemently challenged the press’s role in
Watergate. Last week, Franklin B. Smith, editorial-page editor of the Vermont
Free Press predicted there would be a severe backlash against the sordid press
McCarthyism and intellectual punksterism of those who mindlessly sought to tear
down a great President, a great office, and a great nation….zealous
communicators on the trail of Watergate ignore the principle that innocence must
be presumed until guilt is proven.? (Defending Nixon, TIME Magazine, May 28,
1973, page 61) Much later in the investigation, after refusing to give up
subpoenaed tapes and transcripts, claiming executive order, Richard Nixon
himself, was ordered to give up the tapes. The President, although, demanded
the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General to fire the special
prosecutor requesting the tapes. Both men disagreed to do so and consequently
resigned. This situation put the Administration into an embarrassing light and
the President agreed to surrender the tapes. On arrival of the tapes, they were
found to be missing exerpts and information. On July 27, 1974, a committee
recommended the impeachment of the president. To avoid almost certain
conviction in the impeachment trial, President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.
Gerald Ford, who was appointed Vice President after Spiro Agnew resigned, gave
the former president an unconditional pardon for all federal crimes he may have
committed. (Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, Volume 13, page 1605)
In conclusion, the Nixon Administration was eventually overturned and
destroyed due directly to the large amount of media coverage given to this event.
Compared to the Teapot Dome, in which Warren Harding’s Secretary of the
Interior was convicted with bribery and sentenced to nine months in prison, the
Watergate scandal was covered more due to the increase in technology and the
amount of press people involved. Although never charged or tried for any crimes,
Richard Nixon still remains one of the most notorious Presidents of our time not
because of the good he did like withdrawal
from Vet Am and passing of the Equal Rights Amendment, but for the negative
connotation still adherent to his profile as a leader. That connotation is one
of dishonesty and trickery. As long as the memory of Richard Nixon lives, so
too, will his legacy of secrecy.
Другие работы по теме:
The Watergate Conspiracy Essay Research Paper The
The Watergate Conspiracy Essay, Research Paper The Watergate scandal of the early 1970’s was a scandal of such great proportion that it could have caused our capitalist government to collapse like the Roman Empire. Watergate left the American people feeling used by all politicians. Since their trust was violated, cynicism stayed with the American people for years afterward.
Watergate Essay Research Paper Watergate Watergate is
Watergate Essay, Research Paper Watergate ?Watergate is the popular name for the political scandal and constitutional crisis that began with the arrest (June 17, 1972) of five burglars who broke into Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office building in Washington, D.C.? This was the scandal that ended Nixon?s career as President and changed the way the public looked at him, forever.
Watergate Essay Research Paper Watergate ScandalWatergate was
Watergate Essay, Research Paper Watergate Scandal Watergate was the name of the biggest political scandal in the history of the United States. It included various illegal activities constructed and carried out to help reelect President Richard
Watergate Essay Research Paper What Was Watergate
Watergate Essay, Research Paper What Was Watergate? “Watergate” is a general term used to describe a complex web of political scandals between 1972 and 1974. The word refers to the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. In addition to the hotel, the Watergate complex houses many business offices. It was here that the office of the Democratic National Committee was burgled on June 17th, 1972. “Watergate” is now an all-encompassing term used to refer to:
Scandal Watergate Essay Research Paper Watergate Scandal
Scandal- Watergate Essay, Research Paper Watergate Scandal THE WATERGATE SCANDAL Watergate is a hotel in Washington D.C. where the Democratic National Committee held their campaign headquarters. The current president at the time was Richard M. Nixon, who was involved in the scandal himself and which lead to the cause of his resignation.
Nixon His CoverUp Essay Research Paper Nixon
Nixon: His Cover-Up Essay, Research Paper Nixon: His Cover-up Who would have knew a U.S. President would have done a crime? Unless it was a good reason that is. This incident is called the Watergate scandal. At the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. was where this all started. This led to even more complications.
People Essay Research Paper In Carl Bernstein
People Essay, Research Paper In Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s All The President’s Men, the truth is uncovered at any cost. The theme of the story is the length that the investigative reporters will go to discover truth and help to shed light on it. The first amendment protects the freedom of speech and the press.
Watergate Thesis Essay Research Paper Table of
Watergate Thesis Essay, Research Paper Table of Contents Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1 Thesis and Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 2-10 Appendix A (Definitions). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11
Watergate As A Constitutional Crisis Essay Research
Paper During the night of June 17, 1972, five burglars broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC. Investigation into the break-in exposed a trail of abuses that led to the highest levels of the Nixon administration and ultimately to the President himself.
The Watergate Scandal Essay Research Paper On
The Watergate Scandal Essay, Research Paper On June 17, 1972, five intruders were arrested at Washington’s Watergate hotel and apartment complex inside the office of the Democratic National Committee. The indictment of the burglars and the subsequent investigation of the break-in unraveled a web of political spying and sabotage, bribery, and the illegal use of campaign funds.
Watergate Essay Research Paper WATERGATEWatergate is the
Watergate Essay, Research Paper WATERGATE Watergate is the popular name for the political scandal and constitutional crisis that began with the arrest (June 17, 1972) of five burglars who broke into DEMOCRATIC National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office building in Washington, D.C. It ended with the resignation (Aug. 9, 1974) of President Richard M.
United States V Nixon Essay Research Paper
UNITED STATES V. NIXON (1974) Historical Context- President Richard M. Nixon was being charged of trying to cover up the Watergate incident. Watergate was and still is the headquarters for the Democratic Party. Some of Nixon s men broke into the complex and tried to wire tap the telephones. However, the bread in went bad.
Watergate Essay Research Paper WatergateIn June of
Watergate Essay, Research Paper Watergate In June of 1972 an event occurred that changed the course of history. On June 12, 1972 there was a break-in at the Watergate Hotel. When the police arrived they found 5
Watergate
– The Scandal Of Them All Essay, Research Paper Although twenty five years has passed since the notorious President Nixon resigned from office, the infamous legacy left by Richard Nixon and his administration will never be forgotten, leaving the American people with a distrust among American Politicians and disrespect for the American Presidency.
James Dean Essay Research Paper James DeanEven
James Dean Essay, Research Paper James Dean Even With Curie, Jordan, and Lewinsky….None of them were a Dean There are many parallels that can be drawn between the impeachment of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Both involved the obstruction of justice and lying outright to the American public. But one thing that was omitted from the Clinton trial was a key f
If The White House Walls Could Talk
Essay, Research Paper They paint over me so many times as if they could cover up my memories. My memories cannot be covered up or erased, just as your memories they go on forever. I will never forget the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon or women?s rights from the mid-1800s to the 1900s.
Gerald Ford And Albert Gore A Comparison
And Contrast Essay, Research Paper Gerald Ford (1974-77) and Albert Gore A Comparison and Contrast of the United States Presidency Gerald Ford and Albert Gore: A Comparison and Contrast of the United States Presidency
All The Presidents Men Essay Research Paper
All The President s Men By: Jackie Mikolajczyk 11-07-00 What is Watergate? Watergate is the biggest political scandal in The United States history. It included various activities to help President Richard Nixon win re-
The Three Most Significant Events In US
. History Essay, Research Paper The Revolution resulting in America was the most significant event in American History. This country would not be here without it. The Revolution led to an establishment of a constitution and a new foundation to start a country. We would still be part of England had we not had the Revolution.
Watergate Essay Research Paper During President Nixon
Watergate Essay, Research Paper During President Nixon’s administration there was a history making scandal called Watergate. Watergate was based on a conspired break-in into the democratic headquarters in the Watergate building. Throughout this time Nixon’s term was a very rocky one. A person believed to have ties to the president or a high official that confirmed the Watergate story to Washington Post reporters Woodward and Bernstien.
The Storm Essay Research Paper Kate Chopins
The Storm Essay, Research Paper Kate Chopin?s ?The Storm?, is a short story about a brief love affair that takes place during a storm that has separated Calixta with her husband and son. The title ?The Storm? is an obvious reference to the storm outside, but more importantly to the love affair that takes place.
A Time To Step Down Essay Research
Paper A Time to Step Down When the President of the United States is sworn into office on his inaugural day in January, he is sworn to faithfully execute the supreme laws of the land, our constitution. We elect a new President every four years to run our nation, represent the country, and uphold the constitution of the United States.
The Affair Essay Research Paper The AffairIn
The Affair Essay, Research Paper The Affair In this paper I will try to explain to you why Deborah Bronski had an affair with Christopher de Monti when she knew it was wrong. Deborah and Christopher are both
Watergate Essay Research Paper Watergate
Watergate Essay, Research Paper Watergate The Watergate affair signifies the web of political scandals that plagued President Richard M. Nixon from 1972 until his resignation in 1974.On June 17, 1972, during the presidential campaign of that year, Washington, D.C., police officers arrested seven employees of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) , as they were breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex.
Rare Creatures Essay Research Paper This nowfamous
Rare Creatures Essay, Research Paper This now-famous book is one of those rare creatures – a real-life thriller that’s actually interesting for the average person to read. Starting with a simple break-in at the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate Hotel, two reporters from the Washington Post followed the trail of money and corruption back to its source.
Nixon Essay Research Paper
According to a famous quote ?People do not shape destiny, destiny shapes the person of the hour.? There are three people I feel had something happen to them which made them the man of the hour. These men are Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Richard Nixon, all presidents of the United States.
The Watergate Scandal Essay Research Paper The
The Watergate Scandal Essay, Research Paper The Watergate Scandal The Watergate Affair, is the worst political scandal in U.S. history. It led to the resignation of the president, Richard M. Nixon, after he became implicated in an attempt to cover up the scandal. ?The Watergate Affair? refers to the break-in and electronic bugging
Richard Nixon Essay Research Paper Reconciliation was
Richard Nixon Essay, Research Paper Reconciliation was the first goal set by President Richard M. Nixon. The Nation was painfully divided, with turbulence in the cities and war overseas. During his Presidency, Nixon succeeded in ending American fighting in Viet Nam and improving relations with the U.S.S.R. and China.
Nixon Essay Research Paper During Nixon terms
Nixon Essay, Research Paper During Nixon terms as president (1968-1974) the Press wrote stories about the break at the democratic national headquarters in the Watergate offices building in