Nixon Essay, Research Paper

During Nixon terms as president (1968-1974) the Press wrote stories about the

break at the democratic national headquarters in the Watergate offices building in

Washington, DC A series of investigations resulted from the break in and ended with the

resignation of Nixon from the presidency. The press wrote constant reports about the

developments with the white house’s involvement in an attempt to cover up its

connection with the break in and other forms of political espionage. Although the Press’s

reports had little effect on the election they did help lead the grand jury and impeachment

hearings in the direction of who was really responsible for the crimes. The white house

was forced to ignore what was going on in its domestic and foreign affairs and

acknowledge the findings of the press related to their election crimes and tactics. In the

early stages of the investigation the press held a high reverence for the position of the

president and only attempted to link the break in with the presidents men. Later as the

information trickled in more and more they began to realize that the president had

knowledge of the affairs. Then they began to attack his personal aids including

Haldeman and Ehrlichman his two highest aids with allegations that they had intimate

knowledge of the break-in and other illegal activities beforehand and that had authorized

or ordered them. These charges were at first denied but then later the denials were

refuted and guilty pleas were given in front of an investigative committee. Later findings

came out that the president had bugged his own office to get his own aids to take the fall

for him in the Watergate trial. He had his aids come into his office and update him as to

what had happened with the illegal campaign tactics and then he feigned ignorance. This

way he would be able to claim insouciance. The press discovered this information and

the tapes were suppeaned. Before the jury could vote for impeachment Nixon resigned.

The press played a fundamental part in his resignation.

In the 2000 presidential election between Gore and Bush the press plays a much

different role. When I read the newspapers or Internet coverage of the election the only

that comes close to the Watergate incident is the riots and protest outside the conventions

of both parties. At the democratic convention there were riots during the Politically

driven band Rage Against the Machine concert. One of my friends was shot with rubber

bullets because he couldn’t leave the park quick enough. He said that the police were

pissed off by a couple of anarchist. So they cut the sound system to the concert and told

everyone to leave. Kevin said it was like “the entire population of Arcata (school year

not summer) trying to fit through a 20 ft. gate.” and when they couldn’t all make it in

time the police took out their riot gear and started firing. I also heard that when the

people who were planning to get the concert and protest planned the police came in and

seized a lot of things and wanted to arrest some people but didn’t. Now all these stories

are word of mouth but that just shows you how different the press is. Maybe these are

plots and campaign tactics by the democrats to help their campaign. But if there is

investigations about these activities I haven’t heard any thing about them. I know that

LAWeekly.com is doing coverage of all the protests but I haven’t heard any other news

stories about the whole thing. There is also the shadow of the Clinton-Lewinski scandal

but that fire has been kept to a minimum. I also remember that during the highlight of

the Clinton scandal hearing that Gore made calls to try and raise money to re-elect

Clinton from the white house which is an illegal campaign tactic but that has either been

proven wrong is not something the press chooses to focus on proving that the press is

acting different now then it was then.