The Watergate Scandal
By: Karissa Oliver & Kaslyn Yakle
American History B

Richard Nixon
-Born January 9, 1913
-37th President of the United States
-Previously had served as a Republican Senator and Vice President
- In November 1968, Nixon, 55 years old, defeated Hubert Humphrey in one of the closest Presidential Elections in history

The Robbery
-On June 17, 1972, the 5 Watergate burglars, Bernard Barker, Virgilo Gonzales, James McCord, Eugenio Martinez, and Frank Sturgis were charged with the attempted burglary and interception of telephone and other communications.
-The burglars were indicted by the Grand Jury on Sept. 15 as were G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt Jr.
- The purpose of the break-in was to obtain political intelligence.

G. Gordon Liddy
-Counsel to the Finance Committee to re-elect the President.
-Former FBI agent, treasury official, and member of the White House Staff.
-Was fired for lack of cooperation during questioning

E. Howard Hunt Jr.
-A former White House Consultant and CIA employee.
-Writer of espionage novels and had worked on declassifying the Pentagon Papers.

Nixon's Involvement
-McCord wrote a letter to the Judge saying that higher republican White House Officials knew about the break-in and had paid them to lie or keep quiet during the trial.
-This was investigated by John Dean, a White House Lawyer, and he told the committee that McCord was telling the truth and that Nixon had known of the effort to cover up White House involvement.

Television's Involvement
-Television could either flatter a political leader or be unforgiving toward those it exposed as flawed.
-The Watergate Scandal demonstrated this aspect of its social influence.

Television's Involvement
-The investigation, near-impeachment, and resignation of President Nixon were an approximation of Sarnoff s forecast.
-It was through TV that most citizens learned of President Nixon's role in the Watergate Scandal.

Television's Influence
-Not until early 1973, when network TV began reporting in earnest, did Watergate become a pressing national issue.
-On live TV in the summer of 1973 hearings revealed the seri­ousness of the accusations against the president and the burglars.

Television's Influence
-Nixon as well tried to use TV to win his case by holding press conferences, staging photo opportunities, making speeches, and trying to persuade the public of his innocence.
-The unprotested acceptance of Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, represented a shift in public opinion.

Television
-Its function was to inform all citizens on information unfettered by government controls.
-Watergate legitimated the role of the free press and broadcast journalism as a social watchdog.

Watergate Changing the Future
-The media "Watergate mentality" describes those editors, reporters, and public officials who have lofty motives.
-Members of this media dig up covered information about government wrongdoing.
-They leap into action the moment it appears that a government official may have committed a crime and their motives aren't entirely to bring about cleaner government.

How Government is Changing
-Since Watergate, congress has intensified its crutiny of the conduct of government officials in general and, particularly, of itself.
-Today, Washington is more alert to ridding itself of ethical misconduct.
- So it seems the Watergate Scandal appears to have had a good effect.

Sources

• http://www.csmonitor.com/1981/0727/072730.html/(page)/2
• http://jfredmacdonald.com/onutv/tvpolitics.htm
• http://watergate.info
• http://www.dummies.com/DummiesArticle/President-Richard-Nixon-and-the-Water...
• http://www.askhoo.org/history/who-was-the-president-during-the-watergate-sc...