The Rise and Fall of Richard Nixon Ch. 40 1. Foreign Policy summary: accommodation with Soviets and recognition of China Nixon s go-to guy was Henry Kissinger Shuttle diplomacy Nixon Doctrine (1969) Honor treaties Allies should use their own manpower for their own defense. Limited economic and military aid Vietnamization - expand, equip and get out After a period of confrontation, we are entering an era of negotiation. -Richard Nixon s 1st Inaugural Address First-Term Foreign Policy Goals Strategic arms limitation (SALT) Peaceful negotiation with foreign powers Rapprochement with China (ally against USSR) Recognizes China Détente with the Soviet Union Ping-Pong Diplomacy American ping pong team is invited to china in 1971. First Americans to visit China since 1949 Opening of diplomatic relations U.S. lifts 20- year embargo Détente with the Soviets After years of hostile relations, a cooling: Détente focused on peaceful negotiations and weapon limitations between the two nations. Unlike previous administrations, Nixon and Kissinger hope for a mutually beneficial relationship Not Soviets caving to Americans 1
Reduced commitments of manpower to foreign nations (Nixon Doctrine) Peace with honor in Vietnam Minimal public support for the war Major reason for Nixon s election in 68 2. Domestic New Federalism Balance the power of the feds with states Allow some power in Washington return to states Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act (vetoed by Nixon) OSHA Title IX Moon Landing 69 I walked on the moon! Spending billions of dollars to send some dudes to the moon to walk around provided a nice break from serious racial, socioeconomic issues, oh and Vietnam Clean Air Act (1970) Clear Water Act (1972) States had specific federal guidelines to follow or face penalties with pollution Responses to the growing environmental movement 2
4/24/2012 Energy crisis 1970- Worldwide oil shortages (both perceived and real) Economic Stabilization Act 90 day freeze on all wages and prices 1973- Arabs upset about support for Israel OPEC Oil Embargo National speed limit of 55 MPH Gas lines and crappier cars Cool (early 70s) Not cool (late 70s) Stagflation Inflation plus unemployment Defied economic patterns 17 3
4/24/2012 Stagflation (4 reasons) 1. Johnson s administration paid for Great Society and Vietnam without tax increases 2. Stiff competition from West Germany and Japan 3. Cheap energy 4. New workers entered the workforce 3. The Court Shifts to the Right Nixon and other conservative balked at liberal Warren-era decisions: Tokyo1945 Tokyo 1975 20 3. The Court Shifts to the Right However, Roe v. Wade (1973) Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Engel v. Vitale (1961) Nixon appoints Warren Burger to move the court to the right 3. The Court Shifts to the Right 4. Social But also takes a shot at affirmative action in U.C. Davis v. Bakke (1979) 4
5. Watergateand the Fall of Nixon How does a piece of tape cause a president to resign? Pentagon Papers, 1971 and Nixon s mistrust of the Media Former defense analyst Daniel Ellsberg leaked govt. docs. regarding war efforts during Johnson s administration to the New York Times. New York Times v. United States(1971) A third rate burglary Docs. Govt. misled Congress & Amer. People regarding its intentions in Vietnam during mid-1960s. Primary reason for fighting not to eliminate communism, but to avoid humiliating defeat. Nixon White House created an internal unit designed to ensure internal security plumbers to stop the leaks Polls showed Nixon trailing McGovern in early 72 Plumbers turn to political espionage Five men (CREEP) are arrested while planting electronic surveillance equipment inside the DNC in the WatergateOffice Complex Story disappears from the front pages 5
When reporters did their job Investigative reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover a paper trail through the inappropriately named Deep Throat Deep Throat gives a paper trail that implicates scores of FBI, CIA and Justice Department officials in a cover-up At the time, Nixon had ordered the CIA to block the investigation Cool informant in parking garage Really old guy in 2005 Key White House Advisor John Ehrlichma n Fall Guys Nixon scrambles to pin the break-in on the above guys White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman White House Counsel John Dean The Senate Hearings Sen. Sam Ervin opens up the Watergate Hearings Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox is appointed to investigate Dean testifies he d paid hush money to the Watergate burglars The tapes The Saturday Night Massacre Haldeman s assistant Alexander Butterfield testifies about a secret White House recording system Goes back to JFK and LBJ Why you d want to record criminal acts is unclear Country is in uproar Cox subpoenas the tapes Nixon refuses (executive privilege) and orders Cox fired Goes through three people at Justice to do it I m not a crook! 6
The Tapes Supreme Court forces Nixon to surrender the tapes, the effect was devastating. Implicates Nixon from the earliest days of the Watergate cover-up; authorizing the payment of hush money, and attempting to use the CIA to interfere with the FBI investigation. One tape, which promised to be particularly damaging, has an 18 ½ minute gap erased into the conversation. Nixon s private secretary Rosemary Woods humiliatingly demonstrated for photographers how she could have inadvertent triggered the machine that erased the tape with her foot as she reached for the telephone, but no one bought it. Most damaging tapes, called the smoking gun tapes, were released on 5 August 1974, House Judiciary Committee had approved Articles of Impeachment against President Nixon. The effect was devastating, as even Nixon s supporters abandoned him. The Smoking Gun Faced with impeachment, President Richard Milhouse Nixon resigns the presidency on August 9, 1974 Nixon Resigns Watergate and the Fall of Nixon Effects of Watergate 1. Cynicism and skepticism towards the presidency for years 2. Through the failings of the executive branch, the congress and the media are strengthened (War Powers Act) 3. Journalism majors increase 50%! 4. Every political scandal now ends in -gate! i.e. Monicagate Gerald Ford The First Unelected (illegitimate) President 7
Pardon for Nixon Any crimes discovered or undiscovered Another corrupt bargain?????? The Nixon Pardon Foreign Affairs Helsinki Accords July 1975 Continuation of Detente Legitimized Soviet boundaries of Poland Soviets agreed to be more open and more humane right Fall of Saigon April 29, 1975 Feminist Movement gains Social momentum Roe v Wade Title IX ERA Phyllis Shlafly Jimmy Carter The Nice Guy Who Finished First Then Death of Other Civil Rights Reversals in Integration Failure of Affirmative Action The Native WHO CARES Civil Rights Movement Election of 1976 The Bicentennial Republicans Gerald Ford Democrats Jimmy Carter (dark horse) Campaign against Nixon/Watergate I ll never lie to you. 8
Created Department of Energy (1977) Cut taxes Pardoned Vietnam Draft Dodgers Political (Domestic) Political (Domestic) cont. Massive inflation 13% in 1979 Failing economy Americans must Globalize trade Dollar Loses Value as Prices go up!!! Interest rates soared (no loans no small business loans no construction!) Oil Crisis (Again) Blamed economic woes on our reliance on Foreign Oil Iranian Revolution 1979 Cuts off oil to U.S. OPEC raises Prices July 15, 1979- Crisis of Confidence Speech Seen as Hypocritical Seen as naïve/inexperienced Foreign Affairs ACTUALLY committed to HUMAN RIGHTS in foreign affairs Championed the poor and oppressed: Rhodesia Nicaragua Argentina (Will condemn military dictators in L.A.) Full diplomatic relations with China in 1979 Panama Treaties Panama took ownership of canal in 2000 Camp David Accords September 1978 Egypt President Anwar Sadat Israel Prime Minister Menachem Begin SALT II Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (Number 2) Failed in Ratification in Senate Conservative Cold Warriors saw it as Naïve Peace Accord: Israel agreed to withdrawal from conquered territory Egypt agreed to respect Israel s borders 9
Afghanistan Soviets invade Afghanistan in 1979 Causes fear in U.S. Are they attempting to expand communism and conquer world?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!? Reinvigorates old ideas: Containment Truman Doctrine U.S. will supply arms and training to Afghanistanis OSAMA!!!!! Iranian Hostage Crisis November 4, 1979 Anti-American militants attack U.S. embassy in Teheran Demanded a return of the Shah Not to power But for justice! Attempted Economic Sanctions Military rescue (extreme failure) 444 day crisis Carter loses Re-election and Leave an Embarrassed Failure Election of 1980 Start of Chapter 41 Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Romney???? (Doubtful!) Early Years President of the Screen Actors Guild purged communists from film industry. 1940 s a FDR Democrat. 1954 Spokesmen for G.E. and started preaching antigovt., conservative-ism s Oldest President Ever (69) Campaigns as a Cold Warrior Why were Americans willing to accepts Kennan s Containment AGAIN! Reagan Era 10
Reaganomics! Adopts massive tax cuts along with sharp defense spending increases Supply-side + demandside = VOODOO economics Staggering budget deficits: $250 billion Trade deficit hit $150 Billion Carter had been criticized for a $60 Billion deficit Reagan Recession (really Carter s) of 1982 America becomes world s largest debtor Unemployment reaches 11% Growing rich/poor disparities So if he cut domestic spending, where did all the money go? 2 Trillion $ budget in 1982 A refrozen Cold War 1979 USSR invades Afghanistan 1980 US pulls out of Moscow Olympics 1981 Poland tries to leave USSR Solidarity movement squashed by TANKS 1981 US puts embargo on ALL of USSR 1982 Israel invades Lebanon 1984 USSR pulls out of Olympics 1984 Reagan wins election as massive inflation pulls economy out of slump Moral conservatism reveals its appeal among blue-collar voters 11
Gorbachev elected Soviet Premiere 1985 Announces Glasnost: Openness in USSR for free speech and some political reform Perestroika: introduction of capitalism in some areas Announces he will remove all INF s targeting Western Europe. Asked for 4 meetings with Reagan to lower MAD. Iran-Contra Scandal 1985 Israel encourages the sale of weapons to Iran Why? CIA and Defense Department use profits to arm Contra (Counterrevolutionaries) in Nicaragua Had been forbidden by Congress 14 Administration members Convicted for lying to country and congress Colonel Oliver North Teflon President 12
Domestic Policy Moral Majority (Religious Right) organizes 2-3 million voters. Attacks on Roe v. Wade are successful to reduce ability to get abortions Affirmative Action DEAD 1986-Republicans lose Congressional control to Democrats. He Did Help Bankrupt the USSR, but George HW Bush Successful handover to VP extremely experienced in government and diplomacy Bush seen as kindler, gentler struggles with aftermath of Reagan deficits, finally agreeing to break campaign promise and raise taxes Had to pay for the Reagan inflation Clearly preferred foreign policy Tiananmen Square 1989 Poland s solidarity WINS!!! Then Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Romania Continued: December 1989 Berlin wall comes down Aug. 1991, military coup overthrows Gorbachev. 1991 Boris Yeltsin elected President of the new Russia. START II signed by both sides. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty Nelson Mandela elected 1 st Black president of S. Africa Free elections in Nicaragua removes Leftist party. 1990 Persian Gulf war (Operation Desert Storm) leads to extraordinary popularity Continued 13
But squandered in 1992 when Democrats stress It s the economy, stupid! Clinton brings Kennedy-like youth Ross Perot sparks support w/ $ campaign Continued Election of 1992 Clinton Era Although a minority president, Clinton attempts major initiatives: economic stimulus package gays in the military national health care system (Hillary in charge) wins approval of NAFTA Backlash in 1994 elections brings 1 st Republican majority in House since 1952 Newt Gingrich, Contract with America Agrees to Welfare reform, July 1996 Secures balanced budget deal, May 1997 Easy re-election in 1996; economy booms 14
The Hormonal President Allegations of marital infidelity raised already in 1992 primary campaign Paula Corbin Jones, Jennifer Flowers Revelation of relationship w/ Monica Lewinsky (WH intern) leads to new investigations by Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr August 1998: Clinton admits inappropriate relationship, but not sex December: Clinton impeached by House on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice Senate trial Only second in history January 7: 13 House managers present case Depositions played again Final vote coincides with Serbia bombing (Wag the Dog????) Clinton acquitted on both counts perjury: 45-55 obstruction of justice: 50-50 15
Election 2000 Lively nomination contests Gore vs. Bradley; GW Bush vs. John McCain Consumer advocate Ralph Nader runs for the Greens Both final candidates seen as lackluster: Gore is dry, technocrat, intellectual Bush is Texan cowboy, primitive, supported by Repub. establishment because of family connection VP choices revealing: Lieberman: first Jewish nominee; Gore avoids Clinton Cheney: fmr. defense secretary and Congressman. Major issues: Social Security; spending surplus, tax cuts, WH scandals, nation-building abroad, global warming 16
Election of 2008 17