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Watergate: The Scandal That Forever Changed the Presidency
“I believe in the American dream, because I have seen it come true in my own life” proclaims Nixon at the 1968 Republican National Convention (Norton). ... In 1972, agents of Nixon’s re-election committee were arrested in Democratic Party headquarters, in the Watergate apartment building in Washington, DC, after an attempt to tap telephones there. The situation erupted into a national scandal known as Watergate. An accurate account of the event, the involvement of Nixon’s administration, and the response of congress portrays the effects of the Watergate Scandal on the presidency.
“On June 17, 1972 there was a break in at the Watergate apartment and office complex in Washington, DC” (Norton 544). ... Everyday brought new twists and turns to the case culminating when President appointed Secretary Alexander Butterfield revealed that “Nixon had been secretly taping all oval office conversations since 1971, including conversations about Watergate”(Norton 545). ... Knowing he had no other options, he turned in the tapes “which clearly showed his involvement in Watergate”(Norton 546). ...
In my opinion the Watergate Scandal passes over into and loiters on into today’s society. ... However, I feel the most imperative and continuing lesson of Watergate is that our system was strong enough to eliminate itself of a president who mistreated the public trust. However, below that faultless verification of our constitutional democracy is what Watergate left behind, mainly the reduction of the integrity of the office of the presidency. ... Regardless of the lack of any realistic claim of misuse of presidential power in any way slightly similar to that of Watergate, we have a congress likely to make demands for all types of White House documents, significant or not. ... The abuse of presidential power became and remains very common after Watergate, which truly endangered the American people’s civil liberties. Another lasting damage caused by Watergate is the deteriorating effect of raising ever-increasing amounts of money to fund political campaigns. The post-Watergate laws reforming campaign financing were long ago avoided by resourceful minds with a competitive attitude looking for a way around them. ... At least after Watergate, I feel the parties were motivated to improve what Watergate tarnished, however fleeting, for the many problems that had now developed. I hope that as Americans we can rise together and use the memory of the Watergate scandal to work harder and correct the flawed role of the president.
A detailed account of the incident, the connection of Nixon’s organization, and the ruling of the courts illustrates the consequences of the Watergate scandal on the presidency.
Approximate Word count = 2112
Approximate Pages = 8.4
(250 words per page double spaced)
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