From Watergate
to Ford
Chapter 34
Section 2
Pages 1019-1025
Objectives Section 2
• 1. summarize the issues surrounding the
Watergate scandal.
• 2. Discuss the role that the White House tapes
played in President Nixon’s resignation.
• 3. Explain why President Ford was unable to
achieve his domestic-policy goals.
• 4. Report on how Ford attempted to continue
Nixon’s foreign policies.
Point of View
• Write your response to the following
statement. You may use examples of recent
controversies surrounding elected officials to
support your response.
• What actions might cause you to question the
integrity of an elected official?
Crisis in the Presidency
• Nixon during his presidency thought there
were no limits on his power and authority.
• He became secretive and gave authority to his
White House staff instead of utilizing his
cabinet.
• He withheld information from the public and
Congress.
Dark Secrets
• 1971-his staff was told to compile an “enemies list” of
people who opposed his policies.
• The Plumbers-a secret unit that was formed to stop
leaks from the White House. They could use whatever
methods legal or illegal in the name of “national
security.”
• June, 1972-five men were arrested for breaking into
the Democratic National Committee at Watergate
office, hotel, and apartment complex in Washington,
D.C. It was discovered they were carrying wiretap
equipment and spy devices. The men were paid from
funds from the Committee to Re-elect the President.
• The White House denied it was any big deal
just a burglary. It was two Washington Post
reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
kept digging for information on the break-in
for two years. The source was known as [Deep
Throat] let them know that the White House
had hired at least 50 agents to disrupt the
Democrats chance to win the 1972 election.
• Spring, 1973-the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign
Activities began televised public proceedings, which became known
as the Senate Watergate hearings. Senator Sam Ervin of North
Carolina led the Senate investigation. James McCord, former CIA
agent discussed that White House officials helped plan the break-in.
• May, 1973-The Senate hearings were one of the most widely
watched television events in U.S. history. Many White House
officials were eventually convicted and sent to prison.
• June, 1973-John Dean, former White House attorney revealed that
Nixon was involved.
• Investigations revealed that though Nixon had denied knowing
anything about the break-in at Watergate –stating in a November
1973 press conference “I am not a crook”-it later became clear that
Nixon not only knew about the break-in, but he had instructed his
aides to block the subsequent investigation.
The White House Tapes
• July, 1973-White House staff revealed to the
Committee that conversations at the president’s office
had been secretly taped. The Justice Department’s
special prosecutor, Archibald Cox demanded that the
president turn over the tapes.
• October, 1973-As the White House was dealing with
the tapes. Vice-President, Spiro Agnew had his own
troubles he was charged with tax evasion. He plead
guilty and resigned from his office for a reduced
sentence. Nixon nominated Gerald Ford, Republican in
the House of Representatives.
• Saturday Night Massacre: A series of events in
which Nixon ordered the firing of several
officials to avoid turning over tapes to the
special prosecutor. Nixon declared, “People
have the right to know whether or not their
President is a crook. Well, I am not a crook.”
Final Days
• Finally, after the Supreme Court struck down Nixon’s
argument of executive privilege, did he turn over the
tapes.
• The House Judiciary Committee was televising and
debating whether to impeach Nixon.
• Barbara Jordan, Representative from Texas with great
moral authority discussed why Nixon should be
impeached.
• When the American people realized that Nixon had
ordered a cover-up of Watergate and had promoted
illegal activities, he knew it was his fate to be
impeached.
• August 8, 1974: Nixon resigned his office and told
the nation: “I shall resign the presidency effective
as noon tomorrow.”
• August 9, 1974: Vice President Gerald Ford
became the 38th president and he nominated
Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller as VicePresident.
• This was the first time the President and Vice
President office was held by appointment and not
election.
Ford Tries to Reunite the Nation
• September,1974: President Ford pardoned
former President Nixon. His explanation for
the pardon: “ugly passions would again be
aroused….. And the credibility [believed] of
our free institutions of government would
again be challenged at home and abroad.”
Ford’s reasoning was not supported by the
American public and his popularity suffered.
Amnesty and Clemency
• President Ford did not offer unconditional
amnesty to the Vietnam draft evaders.
Unconditional amnesty would have meant that
they would have been absolved of their offense.
Instead, Ford offered the draft evaders clemency,
which meant that their crimes would be
recognized, but that the punishment would be
merciful. Many antiwar activists had hoped that
the president would grant the draft evaders
amnesty. They called his offer of clemency
“shamnesty.”
Critical Thinking
• Why might antiwar activists have been so
opposed to the clemency offer?
• Some antiwar activists viewed the Vietnam
War as an illegitimate undertaking for a
democratic nation; therefore, they did not
view draft evasion as a crime.
Roadblocks to Ford’s Domestic Policy
• Ford’s approval rating drops after he pardons
Nixon
• The Democratic majority in Congress blocks
presidential legislation, while Ford vetoes
Democrats’ legislation.
• Congress does not approve Ford’s budget cuts.
[Whip Inflation Now: WIN, reducing inflation by
using tax cuts and budget cuts.]
Ford’s Foreign Policy
• Henry Kissinger remained as Secretary of State
in the Ford Administration.
• Asia: Mayaguez an unarmed American cargo
ship was seized by Cambodian Communists.
Ford chose to use military force to free the
crew members. [Note: later is was discovered
that the crew had been released before the
bombing.]
• The Cold War continues: Ford continue to use
the Nixon policy of détente. We got involved
with the African state of Angola. The Ford
administration supplied aid to the National
Front against the Soviet Union.