Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

1
Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

• The Watergate Scandal

2
A Paranoid Leader Goes
Criminal

• Nixon, still popular, feared losing to democrat
  McGovern in 72
• Break in at DNC headquarters at Watergate Hotel
  by CREEP to spy on election plans

3
The Plumbers
4
Nixon Wins in a Landslide!!!
5
The Conspiracy Begins to Break Down

• Burglars caught by night watchman
• Put on trial in 73
• Were supposed to stay quiet
• James McCord rats on the government

demonstrating a bugging
6
The Senate Investigates

• TV hearings show growing list of those accusing
  the administration
• Guilt moving up hierarchy
• Advisors Begin to resign

Archibald Cox, Special Prosecutor on Watergate
7
Nixons Inner-Sanctum Selling Out

• White House Counsel John Dean tells Hearings that
  Nixon authorized a cover-up (maybe even the
  burglary)

8
Nixon Denies InvolvementGovernment Probe
Stalling
9
Deep Throat Leaks to Reporters

• FBIs 2 man, Mark Felt, gives info in secret to
  Washington Post Reporters Carl Bernstein Bob
  Woodward

10
Post claims links between CREEP the
Watergate Burglars
11
America Sours on NixonOnly 20 Believe Hes
Innocent
12
A Second Scandal Rocks DC

• VP Spiro Agnew resigns over tax-evasion
• Nixon nominates Gerald Ford to be new VP

13
New Info Comes To Light

• Nixon had secret tape recorders in White House
• Many come to believe these tapes will prove
  Nixons guilt

14
Nixon Stonewalls the Prosecution

• Refuses to hand over tapes, claims executive
  privilege of confidentiality

15
The Saturday Night Massacre

• Oct. 73, Nixon offers summaries
• Cox Refuses
• Pres. fires two Attorneys General till he gets
  one to fire Cox (R. Bork)
• New Prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, demands tapes

16
The Inner Circle Goes DownNixon on the Ropes

• Mar, 74, Admin officials indicted for conspiracy
• Nixon called un-indicted
  co-conspirator
• July- US Supreme Court demands tapes

17
The Smoking Gun

• 18 ½ minutes of the tapes erased!!!
• Nixon claims secretary accidentally did it
• Even So, tapes prove Nixon conspiracy to cover up
  Watergate

18
The Edited Transcript

• Nixon finally releases a transcript of the tapes,
  but an 18 minute section had been erased

19
Election of 1972
20
House Prepares Articles of Impeachment

• Obstruction of Justice, Abuse of Power, Contempt
  of Congress
• Debate lingers on if he ordered break in, but he
  did cover up investigation

21
Other Misdeeds Revealed

• CREEP made Enemies List to use Fed agencies to
  harass political enemies
• Illegally used wire taps to spy on gov. employees
  reporters

22
Nixon ResignsAugust 9, 1974
iCue Biography of Richard M. Nixon