Watergate
The biggest political scandal to hit
the United States
1972-1974
Background
• Richard Nixon elected President in 1968
• Reelection approaching in 1972
• Paranoia of Nixon losing political race because of
the Vietnam War
• Nixon and his aides began a plan of slander
towards the democratic party
What is Watergate
• Watergate is used to describe the scandal that
began in the Watergate Hotel
in
Washington D.C.
• This hotel is where the Democratic National
Committee met
• This hotel was broken into and burglarized on
June 17, 1972
Watergate
• Nixon’s team planted surveillance devices in
the Watergate Hotel
• They were caught breaking in
and began to cover up any
involvement
Burglary
• Five men were arrested at the Watergate
complex
• Two other men faced charges-also White
House aides.
• The “Watergate Seven”
Executive Privilege
• Tapes began being used in 1971 in the Oval
Office so that conversations
would be recorded.
• Nixon was accused of involvement and asked
to turn over the tapes.
• Refused because of “Executive Privilege”
Executive Privilege
• Supreme Court instructed Nixon to surrender
the tapes
• Months later Nixon finally releases some of
the tapes
• One tape is found to have an
18 minute gap
Tapes
• Nixon’s secretary, Rose Mary Woods denies
deliberately erasing the tapes
• There are calls for Nixon to resign and
Congress seriously considers impeachment
Nixon
• Nixon releases more edited transcripts of
tapes
• Public is shocked with information on the
tapes
• Nixon’s foul language a shock
Nixon and more tapes
• Nixon releases more tapes that prove he
ordered the cover-up of the Watergate
burglary, six days after the break-in
• He admits he knew of the scandal and that it
was geared towards Campaign for
Re-election of the President
Impeachment
• It is clear that Nixon will be impeached
• Nixon resigned, the first
president to do so
• Gerald Ford
becomes the
38th president
How did the public learn of the story?
• Reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward,
reporters for the Washington Post
• Became the most famous journalists of the
20th century
Bob Woodward &
Carl Bernstein
How they got their story
• First story about the break-ins was in June
1972
• Most newspapers dismissed the story
• Woodward teamed with Bernstein
• Together they raised the issue of the link
between the burglars and President Nixon's
reelection committee with their first report for
the Watergate scandal.
The Source
• The source was not identified for 30 years
• Source was called “Deep Throat”
Finally reveals himself
• Mark Felt (91) finally reveals himself after 30
years as “Deep Throat”
• He wanted to stay an unindentified source
because he worked for the FBI
Unidentified Source
• “I hope you understand that I gave my word
that this source would not be identified unless
he changed his mind. He has not, and a
reporter's ability to keep the bond of
confidentiality often enables him to learn the
hidden or secret aspects of government.”
– Bob Woodward
How long it took
• “I believe Watergate shows that the system did
work. Particularly the Judiciary and the Congress,
and ultimately an independent prosecutor
working in the Executive Branch,” Bob
Woodward.
• It took 26 months for the final truth to be known.
• Bob Woodward Interview
Historic Event
• Two years and eight days after the
first report broke out, President
Nixon appeared on TV screen
for his resignation speech.
• Woodward and Bernstein won most of major
journalism award, including the Pulitzer Prize.
• They coauthored two
best sellers, 'All the
President Men' (1974)