Nixon and the Watergate Scandal Notes – Part 1
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Nixon was suspicious and secretive; Felt he was “surrounded by enemies”
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_________________________________ – Nixon’s special counsel helped to develop a list of
prominent people who were seen as “enemies” to the Nixon administration
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Included senators, reporters, comedians and actors
How to harass these White House enemies?
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Tax investigations
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_________________________________: Nixon ordered listening devices to be installed
on the telephones of his staff members and news reporters’ phones
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“Installed for national security reasons”
Nixon’s Plumbers
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Organized a special White House unit to stop government leaks – included former CIA and FBI
agents
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1971 –_______________________________, a former Defense Dept. official gave the NY Times
a secret study of the Vietnam War
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_____________________________– showed that previous Presidents had deceived Congress
and the American people about the real situation in Vietnam
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Nixon was furious!
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The Plumbers broke into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office to find damaging info about his private
life
Nixon and the Watergate Scandal Notes – Part 1
CREEP
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______________________________________________________
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H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, John Mitchell, and John Dean led group
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Determined to ensure Nixon’s ____________________ in the 1972 Presidential Election
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Questionable tactics:
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Created and leaked to media a fake letter attempting to discredit Edmund Muskie,
leading Presidential contender and democratic senator from Maine
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Sent hecklers to disrupt Democratic campaign meetings
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Assigned spies to join and infiltrate campaigns of major candidates
These attempted sabotages on Nixon’s political opponents came to be known as
“_________________________________________”
The Watergate Break In
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Wiretapping of phones at the ________________________________________in the Watergate
complex in Washington D.C.
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First break-in failed
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Second Attempt: June 1972 – _____________________________________________
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Burglars carried money that the FBI traced back to CREEP
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Thus tying the break-in to Nixon’s re-election
Nixon contacted the CIA telling them to persuade the FBI to stop its investigation on grounds of
“national security”
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Led to Nixon becoming a part of the illegal cover up = ____________________________
Nixon and the Watergate Scandal Notes – Part 1
The 1972 Presidential Election
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Nixon’s closest aides worked feverishly to keep the truth of the Watergate break-in hidden
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The scandal did not come to light until after Nixon’s re-election
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Nixon (Republican) against ______________________________(Democrat)
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McGovern – Senator from South Dakota
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____________________ electoral votes to _______________________ electoral votes
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McGovern was unable to unify the democrats
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Nixon wins the election by a landslide, but the congress loses its Republican Majority