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Rocky View Drop Down
Knight
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Posts: 46 		  Quote Rocky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Watergate
    Posted: 16-Dec-2012 at 07:18
I will admit that most of my limited knowledge of Watergate comes from the movie, "All the President's Men". I apologize in advance for my ignorance if this post is completely wrong about what happened. The rest of my knowledge of Watergate comes from media coverage throughout my life, in terms of how the term "Gate" is used, and the overall negative "worst ever scandal in history" references the media makes.

When it is all boiled down, it seems to me that a member of Nixon's staff ordered some burglars to plant some bugs in the office of the Democrat Party in the Watergate Building, and those burglars got caught. Later on, Nixon was told about it, and he tried to cover it up.

I seem to be missing something here, there are way worse things than this that a President can do. Nixon covered up something someone else did, and he was crucified for it. Every time the words Nixon or Watergate are said I feel like I should cringe, as it is such a dark stain on America. But is it? Why would the media go after Nixon so harshly back then?
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red clay View Drop Down
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Posts: 10226 		  Quote red clay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Dec-2012 at 10:14
Well to start, Watergate is the name of the apartment complex where the Dem HQ was.  Nixon himself ordered the break in. Nixon was loosing it. He was becoming paranoid.  The polls had him 30% ahead of whoever but he didn't believe it.  He wanted inside info.
 
Rocky, this whole thing took 2-3 years to unfold.  Both his VP and attorney Gen. were indicted and served jail time.  Set against a backdrop of the Vietnam war, you should go back to about 1970 and start reading.  It's a very interesting but complex read.
 
 
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
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Rocky View Drop Down
Knight
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Posts: 46 		  Quote Rocky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Dec-2012 at 10:21
That is just the thing, this issue is so "complex" that is seems to be far more form than substance. I have a difficult time figuring out what the crime was. If the crime itself was bugging an office, then it seems to me that a mountain was made out of a molehill.
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red clay View Drop Down
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Posts: 10226 		  Quote red clay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Dec-2012 at 10:36
The bugging of the office was just the tip of the iceberg, so to speake. It was the "Whitehouse "plumbers" as they were called, getting caught that triggered the whole mess.  Google Maurice Stans and John Dean, Spiro Agnew and John Mitchell.  All major players, 3 of them did jail time. You have to piece together most of it.
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
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lirelou View Drop Down
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Posts: 528 		  Quote lirelou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Dec-2012 at 15:10
The feeling among the general public was that the President of the United States had used a covert unit, albeit 'contractors', to undermine what Americans believed was the fair political process to spy upon his political rivals.
Phong trần mài một lưỡi gươm, Những loài giá áo túi cơm sá gì
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Rocky View Drop Down
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Posts: 46 		  Quote Rocky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Dec-2012 at 07:36
It seems like it must have been necessary for the media to pound the administration relentlessly for those 2-3 years to finally turn public opinion against Nixon.
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Posts: 50 		  Quote longbaby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Mar-2013 at 21:19
I don't think Watergate is a dark stain on American. It's a dark stain on Nixon personally.

And what is interesting is the use of the suffix "-gate". For me "-gate" means precisely "a scandle" but nowadays it covers many different events, even not negative.
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Azita View Drop Down
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Posts: 162 		  Quote Azita Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Mar-2013 at 09:47
Do members think that if watergate had not happened Nixon would be remembered as a very good president?
FWIW i think he would.

Only Nixon could go to China.
I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true 'The empty vessel makes the greatest sound'.
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