Nixon resigns -- recalling 1974
For anyone who lived through the turbulent '60s and early '70s, there were many unforgettable events -- not least among them Aug. 8, 1974, when President Richard M. Nixon announced that he would resign. It's chilling to recall his televised address or to read news stories from that day -- here's the Washington Post coverage -- when our country suddenly carried the whiff of a banana republic.
Of course, the Post led the way in covering the Watergate scandal that triggered Nixon's resignation. And two Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, turned that coverage into the memorable book, "All the President's Men." (It was also adapted into a compelling movie, transforming journalists into stars, if only for an all-too-brief moment.)
That book has been on my shelf for years, and it should be required reading for every journalism student. In fact, it should be required reading for every politician, a reminder that the take-no-prisoners, partisan combat can turn a country upside down. A lesson for today, perhaps?
Comments
I lived through the "watergate scandal" and as I look at the environment of Washington DC today I am wondering if the journalists are negligent in informing the public of the much more extensive corruption today vs. "watergate" where a low level burglary occurred along with the "abuse of power" where Nixon tried to control the political disclosures that he should have revealed.
Then I see the "black panther" openly tampering with the rights of citizens to vote and the DOJ obviously covering it up. Then you have a documentary of Obama openly interfering with the rights of citizens in Texas to vote even when Obama and Hilliary Clinton were dueling for the nomination and somehow the "newsmedia" -just like Nixon- have chosen to suppress the truth. Then you have the known felons voting in the Frankel win over over the incumbent in Minnesota and yet the "newsmedia" again has chosen not to report it. Then you have the "Sestak" obiously attempted bribery case and although the public is aware of the corruption and Obama's attempt in voter tampering the same standards applied to Nixon always escapes the muslim occupying the White House today. Then you have the Colorado voter tampering with Romanoff getting the same "bribery" offer. I was amused following the firestorm over Obama backing the building of the "mosque" -what will a "muslim" do when it comes time to either support his brethren or deny he is "one of them"? I think you got your answer very clearly from the muslim.
When is the "newsmedia" going to stop covering up for this low-level crook in the White House? And then we wonder why Iran has nuclear capabilities!
Posted by: Samuel N. Smith | August 15, 2010 10:19 AM