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EmmaHeeke
Mr.Garner
LanguageA8B
May17,2016
NixonsDownfall
OnthenightofJune17,1972,anatfirstseeminglynormalrobberybroughtdownoneof
themostsolidpresidenciesinhistory.WhenfivemenwerefoundinsidetheDemocratic
Headquarterswithwiretappingequipmentandstacksofsequential$100billsnooneknewwhat
tothink,exceptforthemenattheCommitteetoReElectPresidentwhowereinstantly
concernedwithmakingthisdisappear(WatergateScandal).Althoughasmoredetailsslippedand
boththemediaandCongressgrewhungryforanswers,andnoonewantedtosayanything.
Soon,aftermonthsoftryingtocoveruptheeventsthattookplacefortheadvancementof
RichardNixon,thetruthbecameevident,inthehighestlevelsoftheWhiteHouseabusesof
powerandcorruptionhadbeenrunningrampant(History.comStaff).Thepublic,media,and
governmentwereoutraged,andonAugust8,1974,PresidentRichardNixonbecamethefirst
andonlypresidenttoresign(History.comStaff).Butwhatleduptothismoment,anddidthe
punishmentfitthecrime?Nixonmayhavedoneundeniablegoodthingsasapresident,andhis
actionscanbecomparedtomanymoderndaypoliticians,however,hisactionswereclearlyan
abuseofhispowerwhichwarrantedadeparturefromthepoliticalsphere.
NixonsupporterswillconsistentlypointtothefactthatNixonwasnotabadpresident
andthathewastakingsimilaractionsmanyotherpoliticianshave.Atatumultuoustimein
AmericanhistoryNixontookoffice,duringthistimehemadehistoricvisitstobothChinaand

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theUSSRwhichcalmedthetensionsbetweennations,helaunchedtheEnvironmentalProtection
Agency,passedtheCleanAirActof1970,andhelpedfurthercivilrightsinAmerica
(History.comStaff).Substantialashispresidentialachievementswere,theybecamecompletely
overshadowedbythedishonorofWatergate,saysJonathanAitkenwhopennedabiographyof
Nixon(Aitken).Nixondidnotcauseawar,amarketcrash,oranoutbreak,heusedsomedirty
tacticstopossiblyswayalandslideelection.Inspiteofunravelingdetailsofthebreakin,Nixon
cruisedtovictoryintheNovemberelection,pointsoutBenjaminBrown,meaningthe
Americanpublictrustedhimenoughandlikedhisrecordtocontinuetoholdthehighestpowerin
theUnitedStates(Brown).Afterall,Nixonwonbythefourthlargestmarginofvictoryin
presidentialelectionhistoryandwoneverystatebutMassachusettsandtheDistrictofColumbia
(LargestLandslideVictories).NottomentionthatmanyWashingtonpoliticianshavedone
similarlycorruptthingsintheyearsbeforeandfollowing.WithBillClintonsscandalwith
MonicaLewinsky,HillaryClintonsuseofaprivateemail,ChrisChristiespurposeful
shutdownoftheGeorgeWashingtonBridge,orthenumerousphonetappingscandalsthathave
takenplaceovertheyears,itdoesnotmakeithardtoprovetheNixondefenseofEverybody
doesit.
Thedirtytacticsmayovershadowhisaccomplishments,however,theydonotexcuse
themoutright.WhenthedefensepointsoutallgreatthingsNixondidtheyfailtomentionany
questionableactshecommittedwhileinoffice.Nixondidsomegreatthingswhilehewas
presidentbuttheycannotsimplybeusedasaGetOutofJail,Freecardforeverythinghe
dishonestlydidwhilepresident.EventhoughMcGovernlostbyoneofthelargestmarginsin
history,hiscampaignwasdoomedfromthestartbytheCommitteetoReElectthePresidents

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dirtytactics(WatergateScandal).FistfulsofmoneywereexchangedforfavorsforCREEP,such
asa$25,000checktooneoftheWatergateburglars,andallthemoneyfoundintheirpossession
whenthebreakinoccurred(WatergateScandal).CREEPwaslookingforintel,andanything
thatcouldhelpthePresidentwin,andanythingthatwoulddestroythosewhowereintheway
(History.comStaff).WiththeoriginalwiretappingsfromMayanddocumentsstolenandmany
otherWatergatelikeeventstakingplacearoundthecountry,theCommitteealreadyhadplenty
ofinformationtohelpthePresidentwinthatNovember,evenifbyalargemargin(History.com
Staff).Andlastly,pointingtootherpoliticiansmistakesasadefenseforNixonsispathetic.
NixonmaynothavebeendirectlyinvolvedineveryfacetofWatergate,butthisislikenoother
politicalscandalinhistory(WatergateScandal).WatergatespannedallovertheUnitedStates,
andNixontriedtoprotectthoseactionswithoneofthelargestcoverupswithinboththeCIA
andFBI(WatergateScandal).Andevenafternumerousaccusations,Nixonandtherestofhis
administrationdidnotownuptotheeventstakingplaceandcontinuedtocoverupformonths
afterthestorybroke(WatergateScandal).
ThemultitudeofeventsmakinguptheWatergatescandalandcoverupwereenoughto
makeNixondepartfromtheOvalOffice.Afteryearsofclawinghiswayupthepoliticalladder,
Nixonbecameparanoidandkeptlistsofhisenemies,Hereallysawthepresidency,inlarge
part,asavehicleforpunishinghisenemies,rewardinghisfriends,andforpromotinghisown
image,(RichardNixon'sParanoia).Nixonwashungryforpowerandwantedmoreofit,a
presidentlikethisisatickingtimebomb.WatergateisadisgracefuleventthatthePresident
couldhavestopped.RichardNixonwasinthehighestpositionofpowerthatthepeoplecould
bestowuponhimandheabusedit.HElackedamoralcompasswiththefundingahidingof

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illicitfundsbeinggiventopeoplesolelytohelphimwinthenextelection(WatergateScandal).
ItisunclearofeverythingthatNixonknewaboutWatergatescandalsbuthecertainlyknewof
themafterthefact,Afewdaysafterthebreakinhearrangedtoprovidehundredsof
thousandsofdollarsinhushmoneytotheburglars,(History.comStaff).And,followingthe
deliveryofthehushmoney,NixonandhisaidescameupwithaplanfortheCIAtosabotagethe
FBIsinvestigationintotheevents(History.comStaff).Thisisthehardestpilltoswallow,
becauseofinsteadofowninguptohisandtheCommitteesactions,Nixontriedtocoverupfor
monthsandmonths.ThisbehaviorfromthehighestranksintheUSgovernmentisappallingand
deservespunishment,becausetheydidnotplaybytherulesbeforeorafterthebreakinandlied
totheAmericanpeopleforhisownbenefit.Noneoftheactionstakingplacethroughout
WatergatewereforthesakeanyonebutNixonandhisstaff,andthisiswhatthePresidentwasted
histimeonformostofhissecondterm.NotonlythisbutAmericabecamealaughingstockfor
othercountries,makinguslooklikefoolsforusingthedemocraticprocess(WatergateScandal).
RichardNixondeservedtobeguttedoutofofficeforhumiliatinghimself,theAmerican
government,andtheAmericanpeople.
Boththemovieandthefilm
AllthePresidentsMen
,cameoutshortlyafterthe
Watergatesagahadended.ThefilmchroniclesthejourneythatreallifereportersBob
WoodwardandCarlBernsteintookastheytriedtouncoverthetruthbehindtheWatergate
breakin.BothNixonandhisadministrationarepaintedasnearmoblikeinthefilm,tyingup
looseends,followingthepairaround,andmakingthreats(AllthePresident's).Thefilmperfectly
sumsupthepublicopinionatthetimethatNixonwaspublicenemynumberone.Themovie

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respondedthewaytheAmericanpeoplerespondedtothenewsofWatergate,withdisgustand
condemnationofthePresident.
ThebigquestionsurroundingthiscaseiswhetherornotourCommanderinChiefand
otherhighrankingofficialshavetheauthoritytomakeadecisionevenifabovethelaw.Most
canagreethatwhatNixondidwaswrong,butwherepeoplesquabbleiswhetherornotthe
punishmentwasjustified.Doesthepersonweholdhighestindecisionmakinghavetherightto
doquestionablethingsbecauseofhisstatusthatweelectedhimtohave?However,theanswer
wasaresoundingnointhiscase.TheAmericanpeoplebelievedthatwhateverRichardNixon
didbeforeandafterthefactwasanabuseofpower,andaftermonthsdemandinghestepped
downhedidjustthat.RichardNixonresignedfromapreviouslythoughttobeindestructible
presidencybecauseheworkedoutsideofthelawforhispersonalgain.

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