July 4, 2009
Happy 4th of July!
America’s birthday is a great holiday. Eating charred meat and watching explosions are the best ways to celebrate democracy.
Our country has had some ups and downs in its 233 years, but it’s safe to say more good has come than evil.
Today we’ll look at a unique situation that has a bit of both—the 1972 election of Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal.
Two books detail beautifully this period and should be read immediately: All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, and Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72 by Hunter Thompson.
It’s fair to say Nixon was a dishonest politician who loved dirty tricks from his career’s get go. Just look at the infamous “pink lady” episode when Nixon ran for the Senate in 1950.
Nothing changed between 1950 and 1972. In his re-election campaign, Nixon employed people who would do anything for him: Gordon Liddy, H.R. Haldeman, and people of similar ilk.
The ’72 election was a cake walk for Nixon; he won every state except Massachusetts. The Democrats truly did not have their act together, which Thompson illustrates in Fear and Loathing.
Thompson followed the Democrats as a reporter for Rolling Stone magazine. He was no fan of Nixon’s, and didn’t mind telling readers that. He wanted Democratic candidate George McGovern to win the White House…but of course that didn’t happen.
He shows exactly why the Dems lost that year and all their blunders as they headed to November.
America re-elected “Tricky Dick” Nixon, but he wouldn’t serve long. Thanks to the diligence of two Washington Post reporters, Nixon would leave the White House disgraced.
Woodward and Bernstein weave a great story in All the President’s Men, and show just how corrupt Nixon and his cronies were.
Nixon’s men bugged offices, defrauded individuals and did anything to discredit their opposition. The Committee to Re-elect the President (or CRP, and pronounced “creep”) conspired to do anything for their candidate.
The Washington Post did their job—exercised the free press.
Nixon abused his power, which was a huge disappointment for Americans. But The Washington Post, as an extension of the people’s will, rebuffed the abuse and saved the country’s integrity.
Happy birthday, America.
