The Nixon Administration

I’m not a crook

Nixon’s Goals#1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.

Limit the federal government Reduce its power Reverse Johnson’s liberal policies

Restore America’s prestige and influence in the world Fix “Vietnam”

Law and Order Election of 1968 – Nixon promised to get

out of Vietnam and restore law and order Law and Order –

FBI wiretapped liberals IRS audited anti-war and civil rights activists Nixon compiled “enemies list”

VP – Spiro Agnew confronted the liberal media

Southern Strategy#4 Nixon’s reelection Nixon tried to get support from white southern

democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and a liberal supreme court

Nixon and the Supreme Court#5 Liberalism of SC Justices

Nixon criticized Warren Court for being too liberal

Appoints 4 Conservative Justices

Nixon and the Economy#6 Stagflation & Recession

Stagflation – high inflation and high unemployment Johnson’s Great Society and the Vietnam war

were funded with deficit spending

Nixon’s Foreign Policy Kissinger – Secretary of State

Realpolitik – “political realism” Foreign policy should be based on power NOT

ideology

Nixon’s Foreign Policy#7. U.S. - China

Kissinger – Secretary of State Détente – more flexible approach to

Communist nations Ease Cold War tensions

Nixon visits China in 1972 Opened up diplomatic and economic ties Formally recognizes China.

VP Agnew Resigns VP Spiro Agnew resigns the office. What happens when VP resigns? President appoints a new one, must be

confirmed by congress. New VP- Gerald Ford.

Dirty Tricks• “Dirty Tricks” were used by the administration to

withhold information from the public, discredit critics, and gain illegal campaign contributions for the 1972 election

• The “plumbers” were established to stop leaks of information

• “The Enemies List” You wouldn’t want to be on this list…

The Drive Towards Re-election • Nixon feared losing elections (1960, 1968)• Committee to Re-elect the President was formed

(CREEP) with Mitchell as its leader• CREEP hired a security team to bug the DNC

headquarters at the Watergate Office Complex in DC

• On June 17, 1972 five men were caught by a security guard Frank Wills

• The group’s leader James McCord was former CIA and Security Coordinator for CREEP

The 1972 Election• Nixon defeats Senator George McGovern (D)• They let the press know that McGovern’s VP

candidate Senator Thomas Eagleton had undergone shock therapy for depression

• With promises of peace in Vietnam Nixon won in a landslide

The Cover-Up Unravels• Nixon team member admits lied under oath, and

hinted others were involved• On April 30th, Nixon fires special prosecutor and half

of his cabinet. (AKA The Saturday Prossecutor)• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfnhuf-piq4

• Nixon goes on TV and announces he is not a crook.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh163n1lJ4M

The Tapes Investigators found out Nixon recorded all

conversations in White House. They ask for tapes, Nixon says no. Nixon says president has privilege doesn’t

have to turn over tapes. Goes to Court, forces Nixon to turn over

tapes. He does but it is magically missing 18 minutes.

Impeachment or Resignation• The House Judiciary Committee approved three

articles of impeachment: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress

• On August 8th , 1974 Nixon announced his resignation

• Nixon admitted no guilt, some judgments “were wrong”

• Gerald Ford was sworn in as President, without receiving a single vote on the ticket.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEOGJJ7UKFM

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuwfBbZUEPM