Seeds of a Conservative Counter- Revolution Early Conservative Activism: Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) founded in 1960 issue “Sharon Statement” Framed era as time of “moral and political crisis," Emphasized freedom of individual, commitment to the free-market, anti-communism, and government limited to maintaining defense and order (libertarian sensibility) Widespread distrust of the government Pentagon Papers – Daniel Ellsberg released 7,000 page top secret document in 1971 regarding military operations, strategy, and motivations in Vietnam to the New York Times federal gov’t brings lawsuit to halt publication but Supreme Ct. sides with the Times (first time in nation’s history that the fed. Gov’t tried to block the press) Watergate

Pentagon Papers, a.k.a., “United States–Vietnam Relations, 1945– 1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense” Revealed key reasons for U.S. involvement: 70% - To avoid a humiliating U.S. defeat; Only 20% - To keep South Vietnam and the adjacent territory (e.g., Cambodia to the South, Laos to the West from Chinese control to the North. 10% - To permit the people of South Vietnam to enjoy a better, freer way of life. Revealed plans to invade when public statement from LBJ indicated otherwise; military operations; Nixon’s antipathy toward public opinion; consensus of DOD and State Dept that war was unwinnable regardless of a public line to the contrary;

Transcript of Oval Office tapes: June 14, 1971, Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman, talking to Nixon: "To the ordinary guy, all this is a bunch of gobbledygook. But out of the gobbledygook comes a very clear thing: You can't trust the government; you can't believe what they say; and you can't rely on their judgment. And the implicit infallibility of presidents, which has been an accepted thing in America, is badly hurt by this, because it shows that people do things the president wants to do even though it's wrong, and the president can be wrong."

Watergate 6/17/1972 five men working for Nixon re-election campaign break into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex (D.C.) to repair bugging devices – discovered and arrested Administration tries to cover it up, but grand jury and Senate investigation shows that Admin had been involved – April 1973 Nixon accepts “responsibility” but denies having knowledge of the break in – gives I’m not a crook” speech. From WH Counsel John Dean’s testimony Senate Investigation Committee finds that Nixon admin. committed break in, but also finds that Nixon employed use of CIA and FBI to sabotage Democratic candidates, silence critics of war, harass enemies thru tax audits; admitted that all conversations in Oval Office were taped, etc. 2/1974 House votes to launch impeachment investigation; 4/1974 Nixon starts to release tapes 7/1974 House Judiciary Committee outlines nature of impeachment, including: obstruction of justice; abuse of power; contempt for congress; unconstitutional waging war by secret bombings of Cambodia; tax evasion; selling political favors

Tricky Dick “I am not a crook” speech,1973 Nixon resigns, August 8 th 1974

Urban Uprisings contribute to Liberal exhaustion