Watergate:Nixon’s Downfall Ford and Carter Administration Chapter 32.2-32.3 Notes

Watergate scandal scandal that centered around the Nixon Administration attempt to cover-up a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters Nixon & Admin relied on distance from Congress & secrecy from many. Push for re-election June, 1972, a guard at Watergate caught five men breaking in burglars were former CIA & members of CRP The cover-up began documents in Admin’s offices were shredded Nixon asks CIA to urge FBI to stop investigations

Woodward & Bernstein publish reports-Washington Post “How much did the President know?” some stated Nixon was involved in cover-up presidential aide told that Nixon taped ALL of his conversations Nixon Admin members resign/fired one after the other Sat. Night Massacre In ‘74 Nixon finally releases pages of edited transcripts of the tapes Investigators & Supreme Court wanted all & unedited After a subpoena, Nixon released the tapes, BUT Contained many gaps, one with 18.5 min gap Nixon’s sec. had accidentally erased part of a conversation

One tape answered the question; Nixon had known & helped Before the House could impeach him Nixon resigned Only president to ever resign from office He admitted no guilt **Effects of Watergate: produced a deep letdown toward the presidential office public & media developed a distrust about political officials

Ford Administration After Nixon resigned Gerald Ford was appointed president of the U.S. Gerald Ford is the only president never elected to office (speaker of the house) Granted Nixon a full pardon of the Watergate scandal, made many mad Helsinki Accords-series of agreements that promised greater cooperation between nations of Eastern & Western Europe

Carter Administration The 1976 election won by a nationally unknown peanut farmer & former governor of GA Jimmy Carter Carter considered the energy crisis the most important issue facing the nation National Energy Act place tax on gas-guzzling cars, removed price controls on oil & natural gas in US Carter’s Energy Act also extended tax credits for the development of alternative energy Carter appointed to office more African Americans that any other president *Regents of the University of California v. Bakke stated that affirmative action was unconstitutional

Carter’s Legacy: Good and Bad *Camp David Accords Carter helped forge peace between long-time enemies Israel & Egypt HUGE SET BACK FOR CARTER ADMINISTRATION *Iran Hostage Crisis Ayatollah Khomeini led rebels to overthrow the shah, established a religious state based on the Koran Carter allowed the fleeing shah to enter the US it angered Iranians who in 1979 seized the US Embassy 52 Americans were held hostage in return for the shah being returned, Carter refused & a yr long standoff This & economic problems cost Carter, 1980 election went to Ronald Reagan Reagan was able to get the hostages freed after 444 days in captivity