Questions about Nixon?

Question

Why did Nixon resign? What was the Watergate affair?

Answer 1

The Watergate Affair began in 1972 when men broke into the Democratic Party’s campaign headquarters at the Watergate building. Two reporters for the Washington Post (Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein) followed the story with the help of their informant, "Deep Throat." which led them to the White House, where it was eventually discovered that many White House leaders were spying on their political opponents, and that attempts were made to cover up how the burglary was planned and financed.

A senate committee began serious investigations and came to the conclusion that Attorney General Mitchell had ordered the break-in and that President Nixon had authorized payments to the burglars to keep them quiet. The whole thing turned into a huge mess for Nixon, who refused to give up his tapes from the recording system in the White House. Congress moved to impeach Nixon for misusing his power and violating the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens. After the tapes were finally reviewed, they showed that Nixon was involved in the Watergate cover up, so he resigned in 1974 before he could be impeached in the House of Representatives.

Answer 2

Yes, he ordered his staff to cover up or destroy evidence that showed his , and his administrations complicity in the watergate break in. The Watergate incident actually took place before his re-election in 1972. At the request of Nixon subordinates, and Nixons okay, partisans loyal to Nixon broke into the Watergate hotel room, and ransacked the Democratic headquarters there, trying to find information about their opponents, George McGovern and Tom Eagleton, his running mate, that would give them an advantage in the upcoming general election in 72. It worked! The discovered Tom Eagleton had a history of, and treatment for depression, which they leaked and made public to make the VP candidate look like someone who was mentally unstable. Nixon won by a landslide, but during the break-in two of the culprits were caught, and with the diligent efforts of the Washington Post, and their investigation into the whole matter, eventually traced the break-in directly to the White House. Nixon eventually resigned ,rather than face impeachment. Too bad the same does not apply to Bush!

Answer 3

several good answers here.....
let me add that history as we know it turns on some very small events....and Watergate is a great example....

the burglars breaking in to he Watergate office complex picked a lock on one door. In order to have it readily open-able as they escaped, they put apiece of duct tape over the bolt, to hold it open. If they had put the duct tape on vertically, it wouldn't have been visible when the door was closed.

The duffuses put it on horizontally so it was clearly visible.

A minimum wage security guard on his rounds saw the tape, said, Whats this? called the cops,and the burglars were caught inside the Democratic National Committee office, and the rest is , well, history.


Just one example of "what if" that duct tape had been put on by competent burglars:


Had they not been caught Nixon , who won the 1972 election by the greatest margin in history ( 49 of 50 states) wouldn't have to had quit.

Ford would never had been a caretaker President with little authority and power.......maybe a Nixon in the White House would have listened to our South Vietnamese allies cry for help when the North invaded them in 74 and sent the air cover Ford specifically refused. Maybe South Vietnam would still be an independent free country today and that stain on our honor from abandoning them would never have been

Answer 4

The Watergate affair refers to a plot to steal secrets from Democratic National Headquaters located in the Watergate office building in Washington, D.C. Nixon was directly implicated in the cover up that followed this crime. That's why he resigned. He was about to be impeached. His replacement, President Gerald Ford granted Nixon a presidential pardon for his role in the Watergate conspiracy.

Answer 5

No the Lewinsky affair.

Answer 6

because he's a coward and a pirates, really.

Answer 7

money....