White House Tapes of the Nixon Administration, 1971-1973 ...
NIXON ADMINISTRATION
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Transcript of NIXON ADMINISTRATION
NIXON ADMINISTRATION
DOMESTIC POLICY
Believed Federal Government was too large
Increased Social Security payments Evironmental issues Against school busing Took stand against drug crime New Federalism: Local govts could
regulate spending
Domestic Policies
Sought to put conservative judges on court Pushed forward Affirmative Action
Commitment to Environment
All federal programs condensed into E.P.A. Clean Air Act Water Quality Improvement Act (oil
spills) OSHA- safe employment
26th amendment- lowered voting age Apollo 10- moon Landing- Armstrong
Gains in Feminist Movement
Betty Friedan- Feminine Mystique Society conned women into thinking their only
roles were traditional ERA amendment NOW-1966
ERA Amendment
Passed senate and sent to the states Stop ERA Movement
Time running out to ratify Eventually died out
Roe v. Wade Ruled state-anti-abortion laws were unconstitutional Abortion rose to 900,000 300,000 illegal abortions
Congress deflects issue by stopping federal funds
Arab Oil Embargo- 1973
OPEC = Oil Producing Exporting Countries Arab states place oil embargo on anyone
who supports Israel Created US oil shortage
Foreign Policy (other than Vietnam)
Détente: relaxation of tensions between West/ East
Disarmament measures SALT Treaty: strategic arms limitation treaty
Main events in the presidential election of 1972
Nixon was concerned about winning the 1972 presidential election and was not above using illegal actions to help ensure his re-election.
During his first term, Nixon advisors created a group that came to be known as the “Plumbers.”
Their job was to respond to “leaks” of secret information
Watergate
In 1971 the Plumbers tried to damage the reputation of Daniel Ellsberg—the man who had leaked the Pentagon Papers—by breaking into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office and looking for information on Ellsberg.
Watergate
In early 1972 the Plumbers decided to break into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate hotel to collect information about the Democratic strategy for the 1972 election.
WATERGATE BurglarsJune 17 1972
Bernard L. Barker - Former Central Intelligence Agency operative. Barker was said to have been involved in the Bay of Pigs incident in 1962.
Virgilio R. Gonzales - a locksmith from Cuba
WATERGATE
Watergate On June 17, 1972, police arrested five men who had broken into the offices of the Democratic National Committee.
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post refused to let the story die and continued to investigate the break-in.
Watergate Becomes Public
Two Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, begin to follow the story, despite having difficulty getting information.
The reporters are assisted by an anonymous FBI official known as “Deepthroat.”
Deepthroat did not disclose, but confirmed information that White House aides controlled the actions of the Plumbers, the burglars that had broken into the DNC. They were revealed to be the White House’s fix-it group.
Despite mounting evidence, Nixon will continue to claim his innocence.
Watergate
The Post reported that the break-in was part of a widespread spying effort by the Nixon campaign, but this did not seem to affect voters.
On election day Nixon won one of the most overwhelming victories in U.S. history.
The Watergate Scandal
Nixon continued to deny his involvement in the break-in or a cover-up.
Public confidence in Nixon was very low. The White House revealed that an 18-minute
portion of the tape had been erased. There were calls for impeachment.Nixon released some transcripts of the tapes
in the spring of 1974.
The Saturday Night Massacre Nixon argued that executive privilege gave him the right to
withhold the tapes. Investigators rejected Nixon’s claim of executive privilege and
Special Prosecutor Cox and the Senate Watergate committee issued subpoenas demanding the tapes.
In response, Nixon executed the so-called Saturday night massacre. Nixon directed attorney general Elliot Richardson to fire
Cox. He refused and quit. Nixon then ordered Richardson’s assistant to fire Cox. He
refused and resigned. Finally, the third-ranking official in the Justice Department
fired Cox. The president’s actions shocked the public.
Nixon Resigns
The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must hand over the tapes.
At the same time, the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend impeachment.
On August 8, 1974, Nixon resigned the presidency.
He must have known that the tapes would reveal clear evidence of his wrongdoings.
President Nixon Resigns
The White House tapes reveal that Nixon ordered the cover-up of the Watergate break-ins.
Before he is impeached, President Nixon will become the first and only President to resign his position.
Americans will continue to down the road of mistrust, not only of the President, but the entire government body.
Nixon will later reveal that he felt that as President, he was allowed to do anything as President.
Trial- John Sirca
7 men on trial 5 pled guilty, 2 convicted by jury Claimed they were pressured into guilty plee
White House aides: Haldeman and Erlichman resigned
Nixon denied any personal knowledge
More Drama
V.P. Agnew resigns- income tax evasion Gerald Ford takes position Nixon tries compromise on tapes
Removal of Nixon 16 impeachment resolutions Nixon refused to hand over tapes
Released 1,200 pages of edited transcripts Judge Sirica releases report naming Nixon
as Conspirator in Watergate Cover-up 3 tapes released publicly (smoking gun) Announces resignation -1974
POST NIXON YEARS
GERALD FORD-
WILLIAM CLINTON
GERAL FORD BACKGROUND TOOK V.P. WHEN SPIRO AGNEW
RESIGNED BECOMES 1ST PRES. NOT ELECTED AS
V.P. OR PRES. PARDONS NIXON FOR WATERGATE LIMITED AMNESTY FOR VIETNAM
DODGERS 2 years public services
WIN Program- emergency surcharge on corporate profits
What’s going on now?
Democrats have control of Congress Most governorships are Democrat Patty Hearst kidnapping Hank Aaron breaks homerun record Frank Robinson becomes first Black
manager Hyde Amendment- cut off funding for
abortions
FOREIGN POLICY Cambodia
Mayaguez seized by Cambodians Military operation ( 15 deaths)
George Bush became CIA director OPEC oil prices increase
Energy crisis Trying to prevent future shortages Intensified debate over nuclear energy
Brown’s Ferry, Alabama
James Carter- 39th President ELECTION OF 1976
D= CARTER (MONDALE) R= FORD (DOLE )
1st debate between V.P. candidates Nuclear physicist Gov. of GA Cold, could not inspire Wants to cut spending
DOMESTIC ISSUES
EXPANSION OF FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY Dept. of Energy Dept. of Education
Congressional loans to bail out Chrysler National Women’s Conference
Houston, asking for ERA amendment 38 needed
Military Actions 77- Neutron Bomb developed Reimposed draft registration Min. wage increased from $2.30- $3.35 Bakke v. U of CA- racial quotas Shift to the Right in Am. Culture
Moral Majority- Jerry Falwell Conservative Christians
OTHER EVENTS… THREE MILE ISLAND
PENN., 1979
PANAMA CANAL TREATY CAMP DAVID PEACE
CONFERENCE Carter meets with
Egyptian Pres. Anwar-El Sadat
Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin
PROBLEMS IN IRAN SHAH OF IRAN-
LEFT IRAN U.S. SUPPORTED
IRAN REVOLUTIONARIES SEIZE THE U.S. EMBASSY
TAKE 90 HOSTAGES (65 AMERICANS) HELD FOR 444 DAYS HURTS CARTERS REPUTATION
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS SEVERED DESERT ONE –military rescue, aborted Released on next inauguration day
Ronald Reagan-40th President
Blamed falling prestige of US on Carter “Discomfort context” (unemployment and
inflation) Reagan promises: Voodoo Economics
Tax reductions to businesses Balanced budget Supply side economics Cut income taxes Boost defense budget
Reagan Opposes legalized abortions Stalls ERA Democrats make Reagan’s age a factor-69
Reagan-Democrats New Federalism
Census and elderly, 25% Those who retired rose 50%
Shift of population to the South=conservatism
REAGANOMICS
ECONOMIC RECOVERY TAX ACT Designed to boost economy Unemployment rose High interest rate
1.Congress cuts $ from domestic programs 2. 1 million food stamp recipients cut 3. trickle down profits 4. largest tax cut in history- $750 billion David Stockman- budget director Increased military spending-$1.7 trillion
REAGAN HIGEST EMPLOYMENT AND
INFLATION SANDRA DAY O’ CONNER SALLY RIDE ABORTION AMENDMENT FAILS Professional Air Traffic Controllers
Organization (PATCO) AIDS 1ST OBSERVED IN us IN 1981
Surgeon General- Everet Koop
MORE REAGAN
Assassination attempt JOHN HINCKLEY Shot Jim Brady also
School Prayer amendment fails Sends forces into Lebanon, Nicaragua Invasion of Grenada A New American Emancipation
Too much liberalism Challenger explodes-86
Economic Issues Gramm-Rudman Bill- called for a
balanced budget Debt grew $954 billion in 5 years
Tax Reform Act-1986 Lowered personal income taxes Alan Greenspan- Federal Reserve Board
Stock Market Crash –87
REAGAN SCANDALS
Rita Lavelle and the EPA- perjury Administrators of CIA and Dept. of Defenese Iran- Contra affair ruined his image
North and Poindexter
Libyian Airstrike Latin America
Manuel Noriega-drug trafficking Troops sent in
Persian Gulf hostilities
Reagan Policies Continued
Election of 1988 R=Bush D=Dukakis
Solid South votes Republican Bush Administration
Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill Tougher Clean Air Act-1990 Americans with Disabilities Act
Bush Congress agreement- raise taxes
MILITARY INTERVENTIONS IRAQ INVADES KUWAIT
BUSH SENDS FORCES German Reunification- wall torn down Election of 1992
R= Bush, Quayle D=Clinton, Gore I= Perot
WILLIAM CLINTON DOMESTIC ISSUES
HILLARY HEADS HEALTH CARE PROGRAM
PROPOSAL TO LIFT BAN ON HOMOSEXUALS IN MILITARY
LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTIONS RUTH BADER GINSBURG