The Watergate Scandal

Watergate, the popular name for the political scandal and constitutional crisis which broke out in 1972 during the presidential reign of Richard Nixon, remains a mysterious happening even today. Some details, people, events, degrees of involvement, and reasons are still unresolved. But what began as a third-rate burglary on June 17, 1972 escalated into a full- blown scandal that had a resounding effect on how many Americans viewed the government of their country.

Richard Nixon’s presidency and Watergate triggered a first-rate national scandal whose consequences still colour the nation’s politics. It alerted many Americans to the possible existence of corruption within their ideal, democratic government.

The many faces, places, and events that formulate Watergate are numerous; as varied as the theories as to why and how Watergate actually occurred. Mystery and speculation surround many of the happenings which became “Watergate”, a catch-all term of the events surrounding

President Nixon’s term of office from 1972-1974.

On June 17, 1972, a night watchman discovered five burglars in the National Democratic

Headquarters (located in the Watergate Complex) in Washington, D.C. It was discovered that these burglars (Bernard Barkers, Virgilio Gonzalez, Eugenio Martinez, James McCord, Jr., and

Frank Sturgis) were working on the Committee to Re-Elect the President (which dons the ironic acronym CREEP). The break-in was actually an attempt to replace recording equipment which had been planted in the Democratic Headquarters. Judge John Sirica sentenced them, once they refuse to admit their involvement with CREEP, or indeed CREEP’s involvement in the burglary.

The burglars were known to the CREEP committee as “plumbers”, as they consistently stopped leaks to the press about Nixon’s presidential plans.

On the outset of Watergate, Nixon vehemently denies his government’s involvement in this scandal. Taped conversations with the president later show that a desperate cover-up to conceal Nixon’s involvement already began to take place. James McCord, Jr., relates the involvement of others besides him and his four other “plumbers”, and the pressure to plead guilty from the “others”.

On April 30, 1973, growing media ...

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Nixon, when confronted with his own dishonest actions, gave the American people a ridiculous run-around and played his electors for pitiful ignoramuses. Although his political failure proved that no one, not even the President, is above the law, the United States lost their timid hopes and much-needed faith in their politicians and elected officials. Watergate became the legacy of buried hopes for an honest and uncorrupt government.

“The downturn came to a climax with Watergate. Americans saw a presidency disintegrate before their eyes, criminal conspiracies at the highest level of government, and a president driven out of office.”

Richard Nixon’s presidency and Watergate triggered a first-rate national scandal whose consequences still colour the nation’s politics. It alerted many Americans to the possible existence of corruption within their ideal, democratic government. What started as a third-rate burglary ended in a modern American tragedy, corrupting a President, a government, and an idealism to which the American voter clung.

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