Causes and Consequences Watergate

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he political scandal that became known as Watergate was much more than a botched break-in at Democratic headquarters by people acting on behalf of President Nixon. In many ways it represents the zenith of an increase in executive power that had been under way for decades as the White House assumed more power over the governance of the United States. However, under Nixon the power of the Presidency went beyond accepted norms and took on an imperial feel as he sought to undermine challenges to his administration. The reasons for these transgressions can be partly explained by the social unrest at the time, which led Nixon to believe that America was under attack from within. But, arguably, they are more firmly rooted in the psyche of Nixon himself and his immediate advisers. In seeing opposition to his policies as a threat to national security, Nixon demonstrated his over-inflated opinions of self-worth and his resorting to underhand dealings illustrated a suspicious state of mind.

Nixon can aptly be described as an imperial President. He was not reserved in using the full powers of his office in pursuit of his goals. He had a strained relationship with Congress and is remembered as one of the most uncooperative Presidents for his blocking of Congressional hearings by refusing access to records or personnel. He also used the power of impounding funds from programmes more frequently than any of his forebears. This is exemplified best by his impounding half the funding in the Clean Water Act of 1972 after Congress had overturned his veto on the legislation.

Nixon was clearly willing to take strong action with Congress but it was his use of dirty tricks against his perceived enemies that led to his fall. The leaking of information on Vietnam to the New York Times in 1971 by an administration official had led to the formation of a team of `plumbers' to fix such leaks. The use of surveillance and an illegal break-in to seize medical records with which to discredit the official duly followed. Nixon's reaction to the leaking of the `Pentagon Papers' set a precedent that was to culminate in Watergate.

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For the 1972 elections Nixon created a separate campaign group entitled the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP). Given the absence of an effective opposition this appears to have been a move based on fear rather than reality. With a fund of millions, much of which allegedly came from illegal contributions, they worked to secure Nixon's re-election in November. The break-in at the Watergate building occurred on 17 June 1972. Five men were apprehended while adjusting eavesdropping equipment in the Democratic Party headquarters. It was not headline news as a White House connection was not apparent and no one outside ...

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