2007-08-06 11:11:59 · 9 answers · asked by shih rips 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
No one knows what, if any, involvement Nixon had in the Watergate break-in -- my own feeling is that he was far too shrewd a politician to become involved in anything of the sort, especially as he was unquestionably headed for a landslide in 1972.
At the same time, he definitely attempted to cover up the indisputable involvement of high-level members of his administration, including his Attorney General and top White House aides.
To do this he lied under oath. Of course another recent president did that too, but it is arguable that attempting to subvert the electoral process is more significant than sexual misconduct, however vile.
It is by no means clear that the majority of the American public believed Nixon should be removed from office, but he likely would have been. It is to his credit that he resigned rather than enlarge the scandal in the midst of national turmoil.
2007-08-06 12:04:46 · answer #1 · answered by obelix 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
At first they didn't to any large percentage of Americans in the summer of '72. You still had the election and the Christmas bombing that year, so Watergate was on the back-burner for a bit.
But by Autumn of '73 it was quite clear that there was plenty wrong at the White House, enough for possible impeachment. The "Saturday Night Massacre" of October more or less sealed Nixon's fate. But Nixon was able to veer it just enough.
2007-08-06 13:12:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It seemed as though Nixon was out to move us to a one party system by trying to destroy the opposing party, using the mechanisms of government in that quest. When tapes made within the oval office verified this to many people in the USA, Nixon was no longer acceptable as a leader. People in the USA do not want our political system to have such obvious corruption.
2007-08-06 14:34:29 · answer #3 · answered by Robert K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obama makes the Nixon/Watergate concern appear as if a Sunday college picnic. The politicians have come to have confidence that they are our "leaders" particularly than our representatives. The politicians are uncontrolled. we could desire to have a "do away with INCUMBENT" determination on the poll
2016-11-11 09:53:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the people of both parties in Congress are lawyers. The Congress and most of the legal community believed that he was involved in covering up a crime. This is called obstruction of justice, a felony. For our legal system to work, we need truth, truth in the three branches of government. We can accept a little hyperbole, but not all the earmarks of a crime.
2007-08-06 12:44:54 · answer #5 · answered by Bibs 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He ordered the break-in to the DNC.
Paid off the people involved to keep their mouth shut.
Covered up his involvement in the break-in.
Had the Attorney General fired and his succesor, along with the special prosecutor, Archibald Cox to stop the investigation.
Invoked executive privilege (sounds familiar?) to keep Congress from learning the truth about what he knew and when he knew.
He was a crook, plain and simple.
2007-08-06 11:29:50 · answer #6 · answered by William Q 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The whole scandal revolved around fixing the election. So do you think he should have been allowed to remain in office after trying to rig the elections?
2007-08-06 17:10:37 · answer #7 · answered by rohak1212 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He lied.
Ya know, some of We The People beileve that our President shouldn't lie.
Okay, they all lie... but Nixon got caught red handed at it.
g-day!
2007-08-06 13:47:57 · answer #8 · answered by Kekionga 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because he kept lying about his involvement. This kind of behavior by a U.S. President was a real shocker at the time.
2007-08-06 11:20:06 · answer #9 · answered by mJc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋