what was the watergate scandal?

Answer 1

So far every answer has made the same simple (but very understandable) mistake. Though the term "Watergate" or "Watergate scandal" in derived from the DNC headquarters break-in , it quickly came to refer to much more than that... beginning with the subsequent COVER-UP, esp. through the Nixon-authorized payment of 'hush money' (which was more important than any third-rate burglary)

Rather the term generally is used for a whole complex of illegal actions of members of the Nixon administration against his political opponents, including a number that preceded the break-in.

The Watergate break-in itself was just the tip of the iceberg, and in a sense a rather silly (and amateur!) action. But if you look at the whole COMPLEX of events of which it was a part you can make better sense of things.
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Below I've included a few links that lay out the details, and the other events usually included under this umbrella. But to understand how it all happened, a few of the following may help:

1) NIXON & THE PRESS - Nixon had a long history of clashes with the press, beginning perhaps with a false newspaper report about him in 1952 that nearly caused Eisenhower to drop Nixon from the VP spot on the ticket. (After losses in his 1960 Presidential bid, then a run for Governor of CA in 1962 he famously declared to the press, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.") This antagonism, together with his own paranoia make his suspicions, secret actions, etc., somewhat more understandable

2) VIETNAM WAR - When Nixon entered office he (like Johnson before him) was faced with an active anti-war movement, some elements of which would use any means possible to undermine both Presidents' policies in Vietnam. Example - leaking security secrets without regard for consequences

As a result, Nixon ended up compiling an "enemies list" -- some of whom were legitimate 'security concerns', but many of whom were not (remember the paranoia! intensified in the context of trying to prosecute a war) -- whom he began to use the FBI and CIA to investigate, bug, etc.

3) THE TAPES - Nixon CONTINUED Johnson's practice** of recording all telephone conversations involving the White House (Part of his reason was to retain a record for future reference, writings, etc) When this practice came to light (in the Senate Watergate Hearings), Congress requested transcriptions for a number of them (recording conversations related to the Watergate break-in and coverup) that finally led to Nixon's downfall.

**it is sometimes said that Johnson did things far worse than anything Nixon did, but Nixon was just unlucky enough or foolish enough (e.g., by not destroying the tapes when they first came to light) to be caught. To anyone who knows much about Johnson's history (e.g., the means by which he stole his Senate seat are well known) that's quite credible... but it hardly excuses the actions Nixon allowed and even ordered.
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For overviews of the scandal and explanation of other 'pieces' see:
http://watergate.info/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/37_nixon/nixon_politics.html
http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0411680-00&templatename=/article/article.html

Answer 2

Started with the break in of the Democratic National commitee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel. Came to be a general term for the scandals under Richard Nixon.

Answer 3

Lloyd of London is correct. Nixon didn't "approve" the break-in. All of the evidence shows conclusively that he didn't know about it until afterwards. Attorney General John Mitchell was the one taking the heat for much of that, as well as Haldeman and Ehrlichman. Nixon got in trouble for covering things up...badly.

Most of the investigation was done not by the police or FBI, but instead by 2 reporters from the Washington Post named Woodward and Bernstein. Even when the rest of the country was sick of the story, these 2 kept investigating anyway. Woodward had a good friend who was VERY highly placed in the FBI named Mark Felt who kept prodding Woodward to keep investigating and get things stirred up. Felt was only identified by the code name "Deep Throat" until just a couple of years ago. Bernstein was able to prove that money from the Minnesota Republican committee was used to pay off the burglars and got the prosecutor from Dade County FL to take action. From there, it was all downhill and Nixon's reputation was fried.

Answer 4

The Watergate scandal was when president Nixon had guys put "bugs" in Watergate to record the conversations of the democratic party convention held there the next day, but the guys where aught and Nixon tried to cover up. he was never charged for anything, Nixon, he resigned then president ford pardoned him from the crimes.

Answer 5

30 years ago this week, burglers were caught breaking into the Democratic party headquartes in the Watergate hotel. It was found that several of them had ties to the CIA. Investigation by reporters lead to them finding that the Whitehouse had sent them.
Pres. Nixon had to resign from the Presidency because of it.

Answer 6

President Nixon authorizing the burglary of the Democratic Headquarters that happen to be in the Watergate Hotel...

They bungled the job and got caught, so, heads rolled and the President was impeached.

I wish you well...

Jesse

Answer 7

Most answers say Nixon okay-ed the break in, when in fact underlings were the ones who set the break in and recruited the operatives. What Nixon got himself in trouble was covering up what had taken place. Nixon won in a landslide over McGovern. The paranoia of his presidency is well illustrated by this incident.