1. Warm Up
1. Identify 2 reasons why Conservatives criticized 1960s Counterculture
2. What does the phrase “the personal is political” mean?
3. Identify 1 success and 1 failure of Women’s Lib.

2. 8.5 – NIXON’S ADMINISTRATION & WATERGATE

3. Reducing the Power of the Fed. Gov’t
Nixon’s New Federalism – Nixon’s plan to redistribute federal power to the states
Believed LBJ’s Great Society programs created too much responsibility for the federal gov’t and infringed on states’ rights

4. Reforming LBJ’s Great Society
Nixon’s New Federalism wore “2 faces”
Had to compromise with a Democrat-controlled Congress
Increased some welfare programs – Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and accessibility of food stamps
Worked to dismantle some social programs
Abolished the Office of Economic Opportunity, tried to eliminate the Job Corps (unsuccessful)
Vetoed a bill that would have provided additional funding for Housing and Urban Development
Impounded (withheld funding) for some programs until they expired  federal courts ruled his actions unconstitutional (only Congress can decide how federal funds are spent), but 100 programs were still affected

5. Addressing Struggling Economy
Late 1960s – period of stagflation – high inflation (rising prices) and high unemployment (little money)
Unemployment increased due to global trade competition (harder to sell goods overseas)
Baby boomers reached working age – not enough jobs!
Rising prices due to increasing dependence on foreign oil
Many oil producing nations belonged to a cartel (group that controls the production/price of an item) called the Organization for Petroleum Producing Countries (OPEC)

6. Addressing Struggling Economy
1960s – OPEC gradually raised oil prices
1973 – War erupted between Israel and Egypt +Syria
US supported long-time ally Israel  Egypt, Syria, and other Arab countries cut off oil supply to US
Oil prices skyrocketed
Long lines for gas, no gas at all in some places
Some factories stopped production
1975 – OPEC resumed selling oil to US, but at 4x original price

7. Restoring America’s Prestige
Nixon relied heavily on Kissinger (National Security Advisor, then Sec. of State) for advise on foreign policy
Kissinger promoted realpolitik – “realistic politics,” basing foreign policy on practical and realistic factors, rather than ideological notions or moral principles
Practical to ignore weak countries, important to deal with strong nations
Opposite of containment
The US had to interact with all strong nations, even the USSR and China  policy of détente – a flexible approach towards Communist nations, designed to ease Cold War tensions

8. Restoring America’s Prestige
Early 1972 – Nixon visited Communist China
China and the USSR no longer working together  Nixon wanted China’s support when the US eventually would negotiate with the USSR (leave no allies for USSR)
Realpolitik – China’s Communist gov’t clashed with democratic US, but normalizing relations with China could help the US gain international power
Big success
Opened up diplomatic and economic relations (new markets = more money)
US and China agreed to work peacefully to settle disputes

9. Restoring America’s Prestige
Mid 1972 – Nixon visited USSR (1st POTUS to do so)
Used China’s support as pressure to force the USSR to agree to decreased tensions
Engaged in Strategic Arms Limitations Talks
SALT I Treaty – 1972, 5 year agreement, limited the number of nuclear weapons held by each country

10. Nixon’s Decline
Americans generally approved of Nixon’s foreign and domestic policies, with the Democratic-controlled Congress keeping him in check… however the breaking Watergate Scandal in early 1970s would eventually be Nixon’s downfall.
Watergate Scandal - Nixon administration's attempt to cover up a burglary of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in DC in 1972

11. Setting the Stage for Watergate
Nixon’s advisors and campaign aids were determined to get him reelected in 1972
Created the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP) – Nixon’s campaign committee
CRP head – John Mitchell

12. Watergate Break-in
June CRP hired 5 men to break into DNC headquarters in the Watergate building (unknown to Nixon)  caught photographing files and wiretapping phones
Group’s leader was James McCord, a former CIA agent and member of the CRP

13. The Cover Up
Nixon and his staff attempted to hide the link to the White House
Shredded evidence
Hid documents and tapes
Pressured the CIA to urge the FBI to stop investigating the burglary
Paid burglars $450,000 to maintain silence in investigation
In Nov 1972, the Watergate burglary was not a campaign issue, and Nixon was overwhelmingly reelected

14. The Cover Up Unravels
During 1972, the media wasn’t very interested in the Watergate burglary, EXCEPT for especially Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein at the Washington Post
Published a series of articles suggesting that Nixon’s administration was involved with the burglary
Woodward and Bernstein revealed only that they had a source in the Executive Branch who had access to information at CRP and the White House
Revealed in 2005 to be Mark Felt, the No. 2 man at the FBI during the Watergate investigation
The White House denied all accusations made by Woodward and Bernstein

15. The Cover Up Unravels Jan 1973 – Watergate burglars went to trial
All burglars except McCord changed plea from innocent to guilty
McCord found guilty by a jury
The presiding judge, John Sirica, believed the burglars did not act alone… suspicions confirmed in March when McCord admitted to perjury and implicated the White House in the cover-up
Throughout 1973, the media became obsessed with the Watergate Scandal…

16. Nixon’s Downfall
March 1974 – 7 of Nixon’s aids charged with obstruction of justice and perjury
July 1974
SCOTUS ordered Nixon to release “Nixon tapes” to investigators  proved Nixon knew about the Watergate cover up
HoR committee voted to impeach Nixon, set date for full HoR vote
August 7, 1974 – Nixon resigned before impeachment could occur
Gerald Ford = 38th POTUS

17. Legacy of Watergate
25 members of Nixon administration charged/convicted of crimes related to Watergate
Produced even more distrust and cynicism towards the Presidency and federal gov’t

18. Gerald R. Ford 38th POTUS (1974-77), Republican
Nebraskan born, Michigan US Representative
Eagle Scout, Star college football player at Univ. of Michigan (most athletic POTUS)
Served in the Navy during WWII
House Minority Leader, VP after Agnew resigned
POTUS after Nixon resigned
Only POTUS to not have been elected to the Executive Branch
Admitted his limitations – “I’m a Ford, not a Lincoln.”

19. Pardoning of Nixon
Ford was likable, honest, and generally respected… until he granted Nixon a full pardon for his actions (Sept 1974).
Ford recognized the need for America to move past the Watergate Scandal, and pardoning Nixon (to get him out of the spotlight) seemed to be the solution.
The American public was outraged and saw Ford as a puppet of Nixon and the Republican party.
Nixon’s successor (regardless who it was) would be criticized by Americans disillusioned with the gov’t

20. Tackling the Economy
By mid 1974, the US economy was suffering greatly as stagflation continued
High unemployment
High inflation – made worse by the 1973 OPEC Oil Crisis
“Whip Inflation Now” or WIN – Ford’s urged Americans to cut back on their use of oil/gas and take other energy-saving measures
No incentives for such actions  plan fell through

21. Tackling the Economy
“Tight Money” policy – Ford’s attempt to curb inflation through decreased gov’t spending, less credit, and higher interest rates (less money – lower prices)  triggered the worst economic recession since the Great Depression
Ford clashed with the Democratic-controlled Congress over economic and domestic policies  vetoed more than 50 pieces of legislation in 2 years

22. Ford’s Foreign Policy Ford continued Nixon’s realpolitik policy
Under the advisement of Kissinger
Nov 1974 – met with USSR leader to continue amicable relations
1975 – signed the Helenski Accords – series of agreements that promised continued cooperation among 35 Eastern and Western European nations  Ford’s greatest presidential accomplishment

23. Assassination Attempts
Ford faced 2 assassination attempts in Sept. 1975
Sept 5
Lynette Fromme (follower of Charles Manson) drew a pistol on Ford while shaking his hand in CA, restrained by Secret Service
4 bullets in the magazine, but none in the firing chamber
Sentenced to life in prison, but released in 2009
Sept 22
Sara Jane Moore fired a revolver at Ford from 40 ft
Bullet missed Ford because a bystander grabbed Moore’s arm while she shot
Sentenced to life in prison, but released in 2007

24. Election of 1976 Republican – Gerald Ford Democrat – Jimmy Carter
Narrowly defeated Ronald Reagan for the Republican bid
Democrat – Jimmy Carter
Felt confident in the election, knew the Republican party was split over Ford’s leadership
“We could run an aardvark this year and win.” – A Democratic leader
Carter – former peanut farmer and GA governor, relatively unknown
39th POTUS - Carter