First of all, Presidents usually don’t do B&E jobs, even through their subordinates. So that alone makes it significant.
Second, as Elvis notes, “Watergate” was a complex of crimes, misdemeanors, and abuses of power, including two known break-ins (the other was of Daniel Ellsberg’s (of Pentagon Papers fame) psychiatrist’s office, in September 1971, IIRC), various and sundry “dirty tricks” played on Democratic candidates during the 1972 primary season, with the goal of choosing a weak opponent for Nixon (one of these tricks, the infamous “Canuck Letter”, hit paydirt, drawing a reaction from Muskie that effectively ended his Presidential aspirations, clearing the way for McGovern), and some merely paranoiac opposition research, in which Howard Hunt was calling local suburban libraries to try to check out books on Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick. (A close friend of mine at the time was the recipient of some of those calls.)
I bet that when Bush’s bio is in there, it won’t say a word about his repeatedly lying to the nation in order to justify the invasion of another country.
Lessee… Is breaking and entering (with the intent to influence erections – err, strike that, elections) followed by a criminal investigation into a crime similar to a blow jobs and lying about an affair? News to me. I must be getting my blow jobs from the wrong sort.
Thanks for saving me the trouble. I didn’t think there was still anyone in the U.S (who is politically aware) who is that ignorant of the extent of Nixon’s crimes against the American people.
“The Watergate scandal was politically motivated”? Would you be so kind as to explain that to the many decent Republicans who were scandalized by a President using his office to subvert the election?
Oh, and the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend the impeachment of Nixon, who resigned before the House of Representatives could vote on the recommendation.
So: Second impeachment trail. Second actual impeachment. Third impeachment process – which was the phrase you used.
“I would agree with you that Watergate was a big deal, even though it was just as politically motivated as Clinton’s impeachment.”
This is an astounding claim, given the length and breadth of criminal activity during the Nixon Administration. In addition to what’s already been mentioned here, go googling on “ITT” and “milk fund scandal” in relation to Tricky Dicky.
OK. Upon review, I rescind the previous statement. I did some reading, and I was flat wrong. I’m man enough to admit it.
Oh, and now you can Google “Lincoln Bedroom”, “China”, and “Nukes”. As if Clinton never sold out or anything.
Bush is not my guy, BTW. Either you haven’t been paying attention since May, or you’re just being willfully ignorant, but I stated for the record that in 2004 my vote goes to the Democrats a long time ago. And may God have mercy on my soul for that.
RT, until the coverup was revealed, the break-in didn’t even show up on radar. The Washington Post article from Election Day 1972 makes absolutely no reference to Watergate, which I find interesting considering they were the ones that nailed him to the wall for it. It was at that point a minor crime, and if he had only told the truth he almost certainly could have survived, especially since there is ZERO evidence that he ordered the break-in. His crime was covering up what his minions were doing. Whereas we have videotape evidence that Clinton committed a crime from the get-go. But, of course, a question about sexual history in a sexual harassment suit is irrelevant, so he should be forgiven for committing perjury, right? :rolleyes:
And to think this whole great big mess started because I was simply looking for Bill Clinton’s age. As whitewashed as his bio is, that’s about all I discovered.
Some of us just say that both of 'em were/are duds, and leave it at that. Clinton just had the virtue of being pitiable (“Ah am so sorry… please… don’t tell Hillary… she’ll kill me…”)
I’ll assume you are partly addressing RT, since I said nothing about you and Bush. And I’ll happily agree that Clinton committed sleaze, some of which was considerably more disturbing than the lying he was impeached for.
He just can’t compare to Nixon when it comes to criminal conspiracy and abuse of power.
One of my mentors in college was Dr. Milton Eisenhower, Dwight’s brother. Dr. E. served every president from Coolidge to Ford in some capacity or other, including secretary of agriculture, and special ambassador to Latin America. He got to know Nixon personally and professionally over many years. I won’t type here exactly what Dr. E. said about Nixon to us as he kept most of that out of his personal memoirs. Suffice it to say that the good doctor did not hold our former veep and president in high esteem at all. Ethics, or their lack, was the issue.
Of course, Uncle Miltie never got to view or comment on Clinton’s shenanigans.
