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The Watergate Affaire is a turning point in American politics. After journalists uncovered clandestine operations of President Nixon and his associates practices deemed as unethical were to be abandoned from U.S. politics.
Video
Overview
- Date: 17 Jun 1972 – 09 Aug 1974
- Location: Washington, USA
- Start: Break-in in the headquarters of the Democratic Party in the Watergate Complex
- End: Resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon
Parties & Persons Involved
- Richard Nixon (1913 – 1994)
- Bob Woodward (1943 – )
- Carl Bernstein (1944 – )
- Mark Felt (1913 – 2008) - "Deep Throat“
Background
- Nixon sees in Democrats, the media, the justice system & the “liberal” east coast establishment enemies
- The ministries leak even secret documents to the press
- Nixon draws up a list of personal enemies
- Nixon initiates (often not entirely legal) measures against his enemies
- Nixon’s style of government is autocratic & hierarchical:
- Powers & influence is taken from the ministries
- The important decisions are made in the White House
History
- Jan 1972: Committee for the Re-election of the President (CRP) initiates a campaign against the Democratic Party with legal & illegal measures
- 17 Jun 1972: 5 burglars are caught red-handed in the headquarters of the Democratic Party
- Jun – Sep 1972: Financial between the Watergate burglars & the CRP are proven
- 29 Aug 1972: “I can say categorically that... no one in the White House staff, no one in this Administration, presently employed, was involved in this very bizarre incident.“ (Nixon)
- 07 Nov 1972: Re-election of Nixon\
- Extensive media coverage – Esp. Bernstein & Woodward (Washington Post) uncover the Watergate Scandal with support of the FBI Deputy Director Mark Felt (Deep Throat)
- 07 Feb 1973: Senate Watergate Committee takes up its work
- 30 Apr 1973: Nixon’s close advisors Erlichman, Haldeman, Dean & Attorney General Kleindienst resign as scapegoats
- 13 & 16 Jul 1973: Butterfield says before the Senate Watergate Committee that a recording system is used in the White House
- The Senate & the special prosecutor Cox demand the release of the recordings
- Nixon refuses to release the tapes
- 20 Oct 1973: Saturday Night Massacre – Nixon forces the removal of special prosecutor Cox & the resignations of General Attorney Richardson & his deputy Ruckelshaus
- 06 Feb 1974: The House of Representatives authorises the House Judiciary Committee to examine the option of impeachment proceedings
- 01 Mar 1974: The “Watergate Seven”, high ranking government officials, are sentenced to prison for covering up the Watergate incident
- 29 Apr 1974: Nixon announces the release of edited transcripts of the White House tapes
- The public opinion turns against Nixon – "Reading the transcripts is an emetic experience; one comes away feeling unclean.“ (Providence Journal)
- 24 Jul 1974: The Supreme Court orders the release of the White House tapes – Nixon complies on 30 July
- 27 Jul 1974: Das House Judiciary Committee recommends to initiate impeachment proceedings
- 05 Aug 1974: The White House releases the “Smoking Gun Tape“, dated 23 Jun 1972 – Nixon wants to use the CIA to disrupt FBI investigations
- 08 Aug 1974: Nixon announces his resignation for the next day
Consequences & Impact
- 69 members of the government are prosecuted & 48 are found guilty
- Nixon receives a presidential pardon from his successor Ford
- The people see Nixon as one of the worst U.S. Presidents
- Higher requirements of financial transparency for political parties & politicians
- The decade-long practice to record conversations in the White House ends
- The media is established as “the fourth power in the state” with an increase of investigative journalism which often deals with politicians in a more aggressive & cynical way
- Watergate becomes synonymous with political scandals, i.e.:
- Whitewatergate – United States / Clinton
- Waterkantgate – Germany / Minister President Barschel