Why was the Watergate scandal such a big deal? Watergate doesn't even come close to the severity of today’s scandals (IRS targeting of conservatives, Benghazi) yet nothing has been done. What makes Watergate so different?
I’ll break with some of the other answers here: The IRS scandal represented intolerably improper behavior by an arm of the government. A government employee targeted political organizations for investigation based on their assumed partisan affiliation. That’s a big deal, and it’s at least a similar kind of scandal as Watergate.(Benghazi was not comparable; at worst it represents incompetent decision-making, not partisan abuse of office. Yes, people died because of Benghazi, but that doesn’t change the fact that Clinton didn’t want them to die or kill them for political gain.)What made Watergate more serious was:Criminal behavior: The IRS scandal involved selecting groups for otherwise legal investigations based on partisan criteria. That’s bad, but it’s not nearly as bad as the Watergate scandal’s blatantly criminal behavior—break-ins, thefts, illegal wiretaps, etc.Involvement of the President: The IRS scandal involved a relatively low-level administrator, and there was no indication that anyone above her ordered, participated in, or was aware of what she was doing. The crimes revealed by the Watergate scandal were ordered by people at the highest levels of government, up to and including the President.Obstruction of justice: Nixon acted to try to prevent the investigation, going as far as to fire the special prosecutor in charge of it and seal his office. Obama did not do anything even slightly comparable to try to cover up the IRS scandal.No innocent explanation: The IRS scandal can be explained by simple bias—someone at the IRS thought the other party was abusing tax laws and was trying to do her job in an improper way. There is no similar explanation for Watergate—it happened because Nixon thought he could commit a crime and get away with it. It’s like the difference between a cop racially profiling a black teenager and a cop terrorizing innocent black people for fun. Both are bad, but one is much worse.Watergate was a bigger deal because it was a lot worse, on several dimensions, than the IRS scandal or any other (known) misconduct during the Obama administration. It was hard for anybody—even in his own party—to look closely at Watergate and walk away not believing that President Nixon had knowingly ordered people to commit crimes. That’s just not true of the IRS scandal.
Why was watergate such a big deal?
Watergate was a big deal because basically, it showed the American people that they could no longer trust anything the President had told them. It really wasn't about the actually crime so much (though it was very bad and Nixon fully deserved that slap on the wrist for it), but moreso about the government deceiving the people. As far as his actually participation, he ordered the "Plumbers" to bug the hotel offices and such. The whole scenario was that he wanted information on the Democratic party that could be used against them in his favor. I hope this helped you understand a little better. I think it's cool that you're interested!
What is Watergate?
Watergate is the term used to sum up a two-year scandal and investigation that ultimately forced President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974. The scandal began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate building in D.C. But it quickly spread when it was learned that members of Nixon’s re-election committee were involved. Ultimately, the investigation revealed a unit in the White House called The Plumbers designed to do dirty tricks against opponents. There was a great deal of “hush money” paid, along with other corruption. Nixon finally resigned when a “smoking gun” tape revealed he had ordered the FBI not to investigate Watergate, a clear obstruction of justice. Recognizing he would surely be impeached, Nixon resigned in August 1974.Www.theattic.space
What was the Watergate scandal about?
The Watergate scandal is touted to be one of the worst political controversies in the history of United States as well as the world. It all began in the morning of June 17, 1972 when several men broke into the Democratic National Committee located in the Watergate complex of buildings in Washington DC to wiretap the phone lines and steal the documents. They had attempted this on May 11,1972 also but this time they were caught. This was in connection with the re-election campaign of President Richard Nixon (Republican) against George McGovern (Democrat).President Nixon tried desperately to cover-up his tracks with the help of his Chief-of-Staff, Bob Haldeman and his lawyer, John Dean. He denied any involvement of himself or his staff in the break-in. He managed to keep himself out of the scandal and was re-elected as the President in the November of 1972.But eventually, the investigations led to his tie-up with an ex-CIA officer Howard Hunt from where things got ugly and soon the involvement of Nixon was established. The whole scandal was uncovered by two journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who succeeded in trailing the money (that was given to the burglars to keep them quiet) back to the President.Avoiding the certain impeachment by the Congress, the President thought better to resign and became the first President in the history of the United States of America to resign his Presidency on August 9, 1974.To know more, go through the 14 facts about Watergate that explain everythingAlso, watch the movie Nixon which gives a great insight into the whole scandal as well as the downfall of President Nixon.
Nixon and Watergate..help?
Can someone possible help me with these questions? You don't have to answer each fully, i just need a little boost. any takers? Thank you!! 1. What were some of the major political and social events that Nixon faced as president? Why did Nixon resign? Why is he considered so notorious? 2. What happened at the Watergate hotel? Does it really matter to American politics? Why or why not? 3. In your informed opinion, what did Nixon know about Watergate? 4. Have there been other scandals as big as Watergate in American history?
IB Project on Watergate Scandal?
At the end of this, in Source, is a collection of political cartoons by "Herblock" of the Washington Post, spanning five decades-- 1949-2001. As a person who lived through the Watergate scandal, and was a high school journalist before it, and a journalism teacher after it, I'd say the biggest change was in the level of skepticism and distrust that developed between the media and government. We never heard terms like "spin" and "liberal media" before Watergate. (Many cities had two or more newspapers, and their editorials challenged one-another. They often were identified by their consistent support of opposite political parties.) Some of the skepticism and "spin" was developing during the Vietnam War, as the press began to doubt government versions of the "facts." Investigative journalism took a big leap after Watergate-- and even local papers started looking for scandals they could cover. Best wishes with your project.
Who remembers Watergate Salad?
Watergate Salad Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 15 min Makes: 8 servings, about 1/2 cup each Ratings and Comments You may also enjoy 1 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows 1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling 1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple, in juice, undrained 1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans 1-1/2 cups (1/2 of 8-oz. tub) thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping MIX marshmallows, dry pudding mix, pineapple and pecans in large bowl until well blended. ADD whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Cover. REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until ready to serve.
How many people died in the Watergate scandal?
None Benghazi: 4 IMPEACH OLOSER
Interview "Watergate Scandal"?
I need somebody to answer this questions as an interview of the Watergate Scandal ( school project) the person answering must have been in the Watergate Scandal in 1972. Name Age . 1. How old were you during the Watergate Scandal? 2. Did the Watergate scandal effect how you and your family see the government? 3. Was a big shock when you found out about the president Nixon possible involvement in the robbery in the Watergate Complex building? Can you explain? 4. During that time how were your feelings towards the government? 5. Did you notice any changes in the people during that time? 6. Can you explain how you and your family found out about the Watergate Scandal during that time? 7. If there were another incident today like the Watergate Scandal would you trust the government? Explain. 8. After the new of the Watergate Scandal did people care or just follow their normal routine? How did you react to it? 9. Was it top news during that time period, did people only talk about the Watergate Scandal? Explain. 10. Can you explain how the Unites States was affected after the Watergate Scandal?