President Richard Nixon
In the election of 1968, Richard Nixon defeated Vice President Hubert Humphrey. In his campaign, Nixon promised to end the Vietnam War and end the factionalism and polarization at home that had been caused by the war and the race issue. He did indeed end the war, but doing this took him five years longer than anticipated. However, his efforts on the domestic scene, were not successful, and his presidency was eventually destroyed by the Watergate scandal
Nixon made three major speeches on the Watergate scandal during 1973 and 1974. The first speech was on April 30, 1973, in which he announced the departure of Dean, Haldeman and Ehrlichman. The second, more defiant speech was delivered on August 15, 1973. The final and most difficult speech, politically, was the one on April 29, 1974, in which Nixon released partial transcripts of the White House tapes..
Political investigations of Watergate began in February 1973 when the Senate established a Committee to investigate the scandal. The public hearings of the Committee were sensational, including the evidence of John Dean, Nixon’s former White House Counsel. The Committee also uncovered the existence of the secret White House tape recordings, sparking a major political and legal battle between the Congress and the President.
In 1974, the House of Representatives authorised the Judiciary Committee to consider impeachment proceedings against Nixon. The work of this Committee was again the spotlight a quarter of a century later when Bill Clinton was impeached.
Nixon’s final days in office came in late July through early August of 1974. The House Judiciary Committee voted to accept three of four proposed Articles of Impeachment, along with some Republicans voting with Democrats to recommend impeachment of the President.
Nixon's final blow came with the decision by the Supreme Court, ordering Nixon to release more White House tapes. One of these tapes became known as the "smoking gun" tape in which revealed that Nixon had participated in the Watergate cover-up back in June of 1972. Consequently. around the country there were hopes for Nixon to resign.
At 9 pm on the night of August 8, 1974, Nixon delivered a nationally televised resignation speech. The next morning, Nixon made his final remarks to the White House staff before sending his resignation letter to the Secretary of State.
Nixon made three major speeches on the Watergate scandal during 1973 and 1974. The first speech was on April 30, 1973, in which he announced the departure of Dean, Haldeman and Ehrlichman. The second, more defiant speech was delivered on August 15, 1973. The final and most difficult speech, politically, was the one on April 29, 1974, in which Nixon released partial transcripts of the White House tapes..
Political investigations of Watergate began in February 1973 when the Senate established a Committee to investigate the scandal. The public hearings of the Committee were sensational, including the evidence of John Dean, Nixon’s former White House Counsel. The Committee also uncovered the existence of the secret White House tape recordings, sparking a major political and legal battle between the Congress and the President.
In 1974, the House of Representatives authorised the Judiciary Committee to consider impeachment proceedings against Nixon. The work of this Committee was again the spotlight a quarter of a century later when Bill Clinton was impeached.
Nixon’s final days in office came in late July through early August of 1974. The House Judiciary Committee voted to accept three of four proposed Articles of Impeachment, along with some Republicans voting with Democrats to recommend impeachment of the President.
Nixon's final blow came with the decision by the Supreme Court, ordering Nixon to release more White House tapes. One of these tapes became known as the "smoking gun" tape in which revealed that Nixon had participated in the Watergate cover-up back in June of 1972. Consequently. around the country there were hopes for Nixon to resign.
At 9 pm on the night of August 8, 1974, Nixon delivered a nationally televised resignation speech. The next morning, Nixon made his final remarks to the White House staff before sending his resignation letter to the Secretary of State.