The Election of Richard Nixon in 1968

UNIT 9

NOTES- President Nixon

The Election of Richard Nixon in 1968

In 1968, Americans elected conservative Republican Richard Nixon to the White House.
Nixon campaigned as a champion of the “silent majority,” the hardworking Americans who paid taxes, did not demonstrate, and desired a restoration of law and order and a more conservative government.
Nixon vowed to restore respect for the rule of law, reconstitute the stature of America, dispose of ineffectual social programs, and provide strong leadership to end the turmoil of the 1960s.
Nixon’s victory was due to the turnout of the “silent majority” who wanted a more conservative government.

Nixon’s First Term

By the late 1960s, citizens has seen enough turmoil in US foreign and domestic affairs
The economic boom of the 1960s and 1960s was starting to come to an end.
American prestige in the world was damaged by the failure in Vietnam.
Anti-war protests, “hippie” culture, and liberal government programs led many citizens to believe that America was headed for moral decay and economic collapse.

DOMESTIC POLICY:

As a conservative, Nixon believed in a limited role for the national government.
He tried to reduce or eliminate many Great Society programs.
He gave state more control over how money for welfare programs was spent.
By the late 1960s, the South was becoming more conservative due to new military bases and corporate headquarters in the Sub Belt, the relocation of retirees, and frustration by many whites over civil rights.
Nixon seized the opportunity to attract southerners to the Republican Party by opposing new civil rights policies and cutting government spending.

FOREIGN POLICY:

Nixon’s foreign policy included “peace with honor” in Vietnam.
President Nixon successfully changed US foreign policy.
Instead of using containment to fight communism and increase Cold War tensions, Nixon created a policy of “détente” (to ease tensions” with America’s Cold war enemies.
President Nixon and Henry Kissinger used a strategy called “triangular diplomacy” to improve America’s role in the world.
Nixon’s foreign policy included better relations with China.
In 1972, Nixon became the first US president to visit and recognize China.
Nixon’s visit to China was also meant to exploit a growing rift between the USSR and China; by visiting China, Nixon pressured Soviet leader Brezhnev to negotiate with the United States.
In 1972, Nixon became the first US president to visit Moscow in an effort to use the détente policy to ease Cold War tensions with the USSE.
His visit led to the signing of SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) to limit ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles).

WATERGATE SCANDAL:

Nixon became paranoid about his chances of being reelected in 1972.
Created an “enemies list” of people who objected to his policies and were “out to get” him
Ordered tax audits on antiwar protestors and civil rights activists
Fired people in appointed positions within the government that he did not feel were trustworthy.
The publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971 led to the questioning of US government.
Department of Defense analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked a 7,000 page classified document about the Vietnam War to the New York Times.
The papers case doubt on the justification for entry into the war and revealed that senior government officials had lied about the war.
The Nixon administration sued the New Times and the Washington Post for the publications but the Supreme Court ruled that the papers could continue to publish the documents.
Nixon was seen as trying to restrict public information, partly through government control of broadcast stations owned by the newspapers.
Nixon wanted to “plug up” the leaks in government.
After the release of the Pentagon papers, the White House created a unit to ensure internal security.
They were called the “plumbers”
Howard Hunt
G. Gordon Liddy
James McCord
Chuck Colson
1971- The plumbers burglarized the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist looking for material to discredit Ellsberg with the American public.
June 17, 1972- the plumbers were arrested while attempting to break into and bug the headquarters of the Democratic Party inside the Watergate building in Washington, DC.
One of the burglars, James McCord, was the head security for the Republican Party.
Several of the burglars were ex-CIA.
All five of the burglars arrested worked for CREEP (campaign to re-elect the president)
Nixon’s campaign denied any involvement from the White House.
The Watergate scandal came to public attention largely through the publications in the Washington Post by investigative reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.
Many of the details of the scandal were supplied by an anonymous source called “Deep Throat”; in 2005, the source revealed himself to the public for the first time
FBI Assistant Director W. Mark Felt.
The break-in was eventually tied to the Nixon’s CREEP through a $25,000 check from a Republican donor that was laundered through a Mexican bank and then deposited in the account of one of the Watergate burglars.
Former Attorney General John Mitchell, head of CREEP, controlled a secret fund used for political espionage and “dirty tricks”
Mitchell would later go to prison for his role in the scandal.

President Nixon’s Reelection in 1972

Despite the Watergate Scandal, most people were unaware of the White House connection.
Nixon was very popular by the end of his first term.
His domestic policies had reduced government spending and revitalized the middle-class, conservative, and Southern voters.
His foreign policies led to the eventual end of the unpopular war in Vietnam and détente with the USSR and China.
In 1972, Nixon won one of the biggest landslide victories in presidential history against McGovern.

Watergate Turns Against Nixon

The Watergate investigation continued and widened to include a Special Prosecutor, a Senate committee, and the original judge that had been assigned to the break-in case.
Judge Sirica refused to believe that the burglars had acted alone and in March 1973 he received a letter from defendant James W. McCord confirming that it was a conspiracy.
The Senate began televised hearings into Watergate in May 1973 to determine if the President had knowledge of the break-in.
June 1973- former White House legal counsel testified that Nixon knew of the break-in from the start.
The investigation also revealed that there were audio tapes from the White House in which Nixon discussed his role in the break-in and other illegal activities.
The Nixon administration reached an agreement with the Senate Watergate Committee that its chairman would be allowed to listen to tapes and provide a transcript to the Committee and to Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox.
The deal broke down when Cox refused to accept the transcripts in place of the tapes.
Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Cox, an employee of the Justice Department.
When Richardson refused, he was fired.
Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus to fire Cox.
Ruckelshaus refused and he was fired.
Nixon then ordered Solicitor General Robert Bork to fire Cox and he agreed to do so
The Washington Post called this the “Saturday Night Massacre.”
Nixon claimed executive privilege in an attempt to keep the tapes secret.
US v. Nixon- July 1974 the Supreme Court ruled that executive privilege did not apply in criminal cases and ordered Nixon to surrender the subpoenaed tapes to the US District Court Chief Judge, John Sirica.
The tapes revealed widespread involvement, including that of the president.
President authorized the payment of “hush” money to keep people quiet.
President attempted to use the CIA to interfere with the FBI investigation.
One tape had an 18.5 minute gap
Nixon’s secretary Rosemary Woods claimed she accidentally erased it.
The tapes were released in August 1974, just following the House Judiciary Committee’s approval to move forward with Articles of Impeachment against Nixon.

Resignation of Nixon

By July 1974, President Richard Nixon had very few supporters left.
His vice-president, Spiro Agnew, pleaded no contest to a charge of tax evasion, and had been forced to resign.
Many of Nixon’s closest aides had been convicted of illegal activities.
Nixon had been named an “unindicted coconspirator by the Watergate grand jury.
July 27, 1974- the House Judiciary Committee approved moving forward with Articles of Impeachment and the House was set to vote on it soon.
Nixon believed he would be acquitted by the Senate.
August 5, 1974- the “smoking gun tape” was released to the public and a delegation from the Republican National Committee told Nixon he would not survive the vote in the Senate if impeachment went forward.
August 9, 1974- Richard Nixon became the first American president to resign.
Vice-President Gerald Ford then took the oath of office as president.

Aftermath of Watergate:

More than 30 government officials went to prison for their role in Watergate.
Woodward and Bernstein won the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the scandal and later wrote All the President’s Men about Watergate.
The American public lost faith in government and its leaders.
People no longer just blindly accepted that the government is being truthful with them.

NOTES- President Gerald Ford

America 1974-1980

In the late 1970s, the US was “overextended”
Americans distrusted their government as a result of Vietnam and Watergate
The economy had entered a recession with high unemployment and high inflation
America experienced a decline in status in the world
Presidents Ford and Carter failed to inspire a sense of hope among the American people.

President Gerald Ford Takes Office

When Nixon resigned in August 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford became president.
Ford was seen as an “honest man” and hoped to move the nation past the Watergate scandal.
Ford was constantly asked questions about a potential criminal trial of Nixon.
September 1874- Ford pardoned Nixon of any crimes related to Watergate.
Ford lost popular support of the American people who saw this as another “dirty trick” left over from the Nixon administration.

Ford and the Economy

Since the early 1970s, the economy had grown stagnant with few new jobs or business profits.
Inflation, interest rates, and unemployment were all on the rise.
STAGFLATION: the combination of a stagnant economy and high inflation.
Ford’s solution to combating inflation was called “WIN”- Whip Inflation Now
No actual plan beyond the slogan.

Oil Crisis

Since the 1950s, the US dependence on oil was increasing.
In the 1960s, the oil rich nations in the Middle East and Latin America formed OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
In retaliation for American support of Israel, OPEC cut off oil to the US in 1973.
As a result, gas prices soared
1973- 40 cents per gallon
1979- $1.20 per gallon
Gas shortages led to long lines at gas stations
The oil crisis of the 1970s made the economic situation worse during Ford’s presidency

The Bicentennial

1976- The nation celebrated 200 years of history.
The Bicentennial celebration was one of the highlights of Ford’s administration.

Presidential Election of 1976

Ford was challenged by James “Jimmy” Carter, Democratic Governor of Georgia and VP Walter Mondale
Carter ran as a “Washington outsider” who had no connection to Vietnam, Watergate, or Stagflation
Ford lost the election
Only US President to ever serve as president without being elected as either the Vice President or President

NOTES- President Jimmy Carter

Carter’s Domestic Policy

Carter tried to attack the energy crisis, stagflation, and the recession
None of his efforts were successful
Inflation hit 14%
Interest rates hit 20%
A second oil embargo in 1979 increased gas prices again
The unemployment rate did drop from 9% in 1975 to 6% in 1979 but then increased again to about 8% by 1980.

Energy Crisis:

Carter encouraged America to seek alternatives to its reliance on fossil fuels
Advocated solar and wind power as well as nuclear energy
Installed solar panels on the White House
Americans were not impressed with this proposed solution to the energy crisis and dependence on foreign oil.

Environment:

Carter signed legislation to protect the environment
New wildlife protection
Superfund Cleanup Funding
Federal money granted to clean up sites to remove toxic waste from the water and soil
Love Canal
March 1979- 3 Mile Island
The reactor at the 3 Mile Island Nuclear facility malfunctioned
This was the worst nuclear accident on US soil
Carter tried to reassure the nation that the nuclear plant was safe and was not radioactive but many Americans began to protest the use of nuclear power

Carter and Foreign Policy

Carter entered office committed to making HUMAN RIGHTS the basis of US foreign policy
He stopped supporting foreign governments that violated human rights
1977- Carter agreed that the US would return the Panama Canal to Panamanian control by December 1999
Widely unpopular among the American citizens
Saw this as the US giving away US territories

THE MIDDLE EAST

Carter hoped to gain peace in the Middle East between Israel and the Islamic nations
Since its creation in 1947, Israel was attached by Islamic neighbors in the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s
1947- US voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Palestinian states.
1949- Israel repealed an attack by Arab states and took more land than originally given.
1967- Israel won the Six-Day War and seized more Palestinian land for what is called “security purposes.”
1973- Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Syria against Israel.
By the 1970s, Egypt appeared ready to recognize Israel in exchange for the return of land in the Sinai Peninsula.
Carter brought Egyptian leader Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli leader Menachem Begin to the US for the CAMP DAVID ACCORDS in 1977.
Egypt recognized Israel’s diplomatic rights.
Israel agreed to leave the Sinai Peninsula
President Carter would win the Nobel Peace Prize for the Camp David Accords.

IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS

1979- Fundamentalist Islamic cleric Ayatollah Khomeini led the Iranian Revolution.
The Shah of Iran fled during the revolution and eventually was granted access to the United States to undergo treatment for cancer.
The Ayatollah demanded the return of the shah.
Carter refused, knowing it would be a death sentence for the shah to return to Iran.
Iranians then raided and seized the US Embassy in Tehran
Captured 52 Americans
Carter tried negotiation, economic threats, and a failed rescue mission to return the American hostages but all efforts failed.
The 52 hostages were held for 444 days.
The Iranian hostage crisis played a significant role in the presidential campaign of 1980
One of the reasons why Carter did not win reelection.
In his final hours as president, Carter did successfully negotiate the release of all 52 of the American hostages.

SOVIETS INVADE AFGHANISTAN

1979- The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to defeat an anti-communist uprising.
The invasion signaled an end to Nixon’s détente with the USSR
The US sent aid to the Afghan rebels
The Cold War was back on.

The Presidential Election of 1980

By 1980, Carter had been unable to end stagflation or free the US hostages in Iran.
In 1980, Americans looked for answers in a new president.
Republican Ronald Reagan was elected by a large margin in 1980.

CONCLUSIONS:

By 1980, the US seemed to be losing its place as the top nation in the world
The 1970s presented failures in the Cold War and new problems in the Middle East.
The social protests and counter-culture seemed to divide liberals and conservatives.
Stagflation and the economic recession were getting worse, notbetter.
The failures of Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter left Americans in search of optimism, strong leadership, and conservative policies.