Nixon

1
Nixons Legacy

• Thinking Skill Explicitly assess the Nixon
  presidency
• and draw conclusions as to
  his legacy
• Essential Skill C-3 Gather and organize
  information and data

2
Nixon (1968-1974)

• Background
• Eisenhowers VP in 1952
• Lost 1960 election to JFK
• Lost 1962 California governors race
• You wont have Nixon to kick around anymore
• 1968 Nixon comeback
• narrowly defeated Humphrey (D) for presidency
• Silent Majority, southern strategy, return
  Republicans to power

Im back!
3
Domestic Policy

• New Federalism
• More state/local gov. control
• Paradoxical expansion of
  federal government
• OSHA, DEA, EPA, affirmative action welfare
  programs
• Stagflation
• Unusual rise in unemployment and inflation
• Vietnam War, foreign competition, 1973 OPEC oil
  embargo

4
Vietnam

• Vietnamization
• 26th Amendment (1971)
• Voting age 18
• Pentagon Papers (1971)
• Misled the public
• Paris Peace Accords (1973)
• 1975 N invades S to unite
• War Powers Resolution (1973)
• Limited ability of President to deploy troops w/o
  war declaration

Vacating US Embassy in Saigon (1975)
5
China

• Realpolitik worldview
• National Security Advisor/Sec. of State Henry
  Kissinger
• Ping Pong Diplomacy (1971)
• Nixons visit (1972)
• End Vietnam War, expand trade, frighten the USSR
  
• Full diplomatic relations (1979)

Nixon and Mao (1972)
6
USSR

• Détente
• easing Cold War tensions
• US/USSR cooperation
• Pollution, space missions
• Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I)
• Froze of ICBMs
• Limited ABMs
• Symbolic impact on arms race

Nixon and Brezhnev (1972)
7
1972 Electoral Map
8
Watergate

• Burglary at Watergate Hotel, June 1972
• Senate investigation and tapes
• Impeachment charges imminent
• Hindering investigation, abusing
  power of the presidency, ignoring subpoena
  for tapes
• Nixon resigned August 9, 1974 before
  impeachment

9
Watergate Legacy

• The President was not above the law
• System of checks balances worked
• Increasing distrust of government officials and
  D.C insiders
• Disillusionment (Was justice served?)

Nixons farewell (1974)
10
Questions to Ponder

• Was Deep Throat a hero or traitor?
• Should journalists utilize anonymous sources?
• How did Watergate affect Americans perceptions
  of the Presidency?
• Did President Ford do the right thing in
  pardoning Nixon?

Mark Felt 2 FBI agent revealed in 2005 as source
Deep Throat
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein