Watergate & Forgettable YearsUnit 5Lesson 9(Section 32.3- 32.5)
Objectives•Review Nixon’s domestic & foreign policy
goals.•Identify key elements of the Watergate
scandal that led to his resignation.
Warm Up•How did Nixon’s
personality influence his administration?
• Withdrawn, Secretive & Insecure = Small group advisors
• Believed in power of govt, law & order, respect
• Hated to lose = Enemies list, Vietnam, Watergate…
Review• What were Nixon’s
major domestic goals?
▫ Reduce inflation▫ New Federalism –
decrease size & role fed govt
▫ Strengthen law & order▫ Southern Strategy –
slow civil rights, appt conservative justices
• What is realpolitik and how did it influence Nixon’s foreign policy?
▫ Kissinger - evaluate nation’s power, not poly leaning, in determining threats
▫ Withdrew Vietnam▫ Eased tensions with
China & USSR (Détente)
Nixon’s Downfall
•Suspicion and Deceit▫Not enough credit
for accomplishments
▫Fear of losing▫“Enemies List”▫“Plumbers” stop
leaks w/wiretaps of staff and reporters, mail
CREEP
•Committee to Reelect the President▫John Mitchell
Fund-raising▫G. Gordon Liddy
Dirty Tricks Fake letters, gossip Hecklers Spies
Watergate
•DNC headquarters
•June 17, 1972 “Burglary”▫Tap phones▫Photograph
strategies▫CAUGHT…with
CREEP $!!!!!!
Activity: The Cover Up•Use the reading handout to complete the
timeline of major Watergate events.
•Video:▫http://youtu.be/nFID6Qkwh88
Effects of Watergate• Nixon resigns in
light of impeachment▫69 charged, 48
guilty▫25 ppl in admin
serve prison terms
• American public is disillusioned w/govt▫ Balance of powers
• Media is cynical about public officials
Who was Deep Throat?•5-31-2005•FBI Deputy Dir Mark Felt
▫Widely suspected from start▫Didn’t like Nixon or his men▫Nixon didn’t out him b/c Feltknew too much about too manyppl & events
The Unlikely President•Aug 8, 1974
•VP Gerald Ford becomes 1st non-elected President
•Nation distrusts govt
•Angry Congress
•Unstable economy
Ford’s Foibles•Watergate Scandal
▫Pardon costs support•Economic Troubles
▫Recession, “WIN”•Combative Congress
▫Veto (66x’s)•Cold War Tensions
▫Détente, Helsinki Accords•SE Asia
▫Vietnam Falls, Khmer Rouge in Cambodia (War Powers Act)
Mr. Carter, Peanut Farmer
•DC outsider•Religious man•Plain spoken, but
intelligent•Informal, low-key
image
Carter’s Conundrums• Domestic Issues
▫ DC Outsider Inexperience, lack support
▫ Economy Inflation: Deficits, then social
cuts Deregulation “Misery Index”
▫ Civil Rights Bakke & Affirm Action
▫ Environment 3 Mile Island
▫ Energy Crisis DOE, NEA, conservation OPEC shortages, lines, prices
• Foreign Policy▫ Human Rights ▫ Middle East
Camp David Accords▫ Soviet Union
SALT II, Afghan Invasion = 1980 Olympic Boycott, end detente
▫ IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS
52 taken @ US embassy Held 444 days Failed rescue attempt = 8
dead Released day Reagan took
office
Closure
•How did Watergate define Nixon’s presidency? What was its significance?