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Instead of being let off by Ford? Seems ridiculous how he just got off with just a slap on the wrist. Sure he resigned, but the higher you are, the more you should fall. Being the President to do something like that should mean life in prison with Bubba as a friend.
Watergate was much ado about nothing. The left went bananas during the '60s, they hated anyone who hated commies, it was bad enough when Nixon beat HHH but when he stomped all over their poster boy for craven surrender to NVN Gorgeous George McGovernment, it was Get Nixon no holds barred.
That's when the media went totally mad and totally leftist and if Nixon had been McGovern or Humphrey or Landslide Lyndon, Watergate would have been a small bump in the road.
The legacy we are left with is that the President is above the law.
Lie us into a war, put a stamp of approval on torture, obstruct justice, ... you name it, "if the President does it is not illegal."
The consequences of letting Nixon off the hook was that future Presidents could commit crimes without worrying they'll be held accountable.
It was, and is, a terrible price to pay.
It was Johnson who blew up Vietnam. JFK was going to pull out, then LBJ had his boss knocked off and guess what, all his friends got rich rich rich and the war was unwinnable.
I'd have won it in a day, after giving Uncle Ho a heads-up that he has two choices.
Absolutely he should have been prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned. His criminal acts were intended to, and did, undermine our constitutional form of government and the rule of law. The pardon and the lack of any real accountability was what enabled Nixon to become accepted back in public life and to act as an informal adviser to subsequent presidents. After what he did he should never have been allowed to participate in public life in any way.
Also, you'll never convince me that there was no deal with Ford to pardon him. It was probably a condition of Ford getting the appointment as VP after Agnew was forced to resign.
Also, you'll never convince me that there was no deal with Ford to pardon him. It was probably a condition of Ford getting the appointment as VP after Agnew was forced to resign.
Yes, and Jerry Ford was the Third Shooter in Dallas, too.
You're welcome to cite any reputable historian or biographer who thinks Ford was appointed with any variation of this plan in mind. None who understand what a model of integrity Ford was would contend any such thing - and that, by the way, is the reason he was appointed; to restore integrity and trust to a thoroughly rotten administration.
But his great marksmanship of a few years earlier was the real-real reason, of course. Patronage, y'know.
Absolutely he should have been prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned. His criminal acts were intended to, and did, undermine our constitutional form of government and the rule of law. The pardon and the lack of any real accountability was what enabled Nixon to become accepted back in public life and to act as an informal adviser to subsequent presidents. After what he did he should never have been allowed to participate in public life in any way.
I have dealt with this earlier and will not repeat myself. Suffice to say that it was a very frightening time; both unheard-of inflation, risk of depression and looming threats of more shortages. The nation had to do more than reminisce over Watergate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jackmccullough
Also, you'll never convince me that there was no deal with Ford to pardon him. It was probably a condition of Ford getting the appointment as VP after Agnew was forced to resign.
Any such deal was probably to obtain his resignation. And would have been justified.
Absolutely he should have been prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned. His criminal acts were intended to, and did, undermine our constitutional form of government and the rule of law. The pardon and the lack of any real accountability was what enabled Nixon to become accepted back in public life and to act as an informal adviser to subsequent presidents. After what he did he should never have been allowed to participate in public life in any way.
Also, you'll never convince me that there was no deal with Ford to pardon him. It was probably a condition of Ford getting the appointment as VP after Agnew was forced to resign.
When it was clear that Agnew was toast, Republicans had to come up with someone to be VP who was not involved in Republican shenanigans but would toe the line if it came time to pardon Nixon.
Ford was that man and when the time came, he toed the line.
Nixon should have faced criminal charges, not pardoned for all crimes committed.
The idea that the President and Congress couldn't move on and deal with national matters while that was going on is ludicrous. Once Nixon resigned, that was a sideshow.
Nixon "suffered enough" is BS. After a brief lull, he was giving speeches and traveling all over the place.
Should Nixon have served jail time? It depends on your perspective. From a politicians perspective, losing all political power is probably the worst punishment you can deliver. From a reform perspective, what would be accomplished? He'd have gone to jail for a few years, then still would be out of power and unlikely to regain it. At the time the pardon served the purpose of helping the nation move on from Nixon and Watergate, so I was satisfied with that outcome. From my perspective, it all created a healthy sense of cynicism about politicians and their emissions.
Should Nixon have served jail time? It depends on your perspective.
A perspective which deserves consideration is that of the 48 Nixon deputies and aids who were convicted of Watergate related crimes. The list includes his chief of staff, his chief domestic adviser, two of his attorney generals, his personal lawyer, his White House lawyer, his Secretary of Commerce, the deputy director of his re-election committee, assorted aids to those listed above, and an array of surrealistic characters like Liddy, Hunt and Colson. Putting all these people on trial and sending them to prison didn't hinder "putting it all behind us"? Trying and convicting the man in whose name all the others committed their crimes, would?
It was Johnson who blew up Vietnam. JFK was going to pull out, then LBJ had his boss knocked off and guess what, all his friends got rich rich rich and the war was unwinnable.
I'd have won it in a day, after giving Uncle Ho a heads-up that he has two choices.
Its a shame people who believe in fairy tales like you post on the history forum. You'd struggle to be taken seriously on even the politics forum. Now off with you.
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