The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibility

The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibility
For some, the 1970s marked an irresistible rise of news-media power. The mass media, especially television, not only held up a mirror to society but also became a significant force that shaped the nation’s cultural and political fabric. For some, the 1970s marked an irresistible rise of news-media power. The mass media, especially television, not only held up a mirror to society but also became a significant force that shaped the nation’s cultural and political fabric.

Today’s Story Vietnam and then Watergate eclipsed the news and the attention of Americans during the 1970s crises in credibility. What impact did these crises have on the media? Vietnam and then Watergate eclipsed the news and the attention of Americans during the 1970s crises in credibility. What impact did these crises have on the media? That is today’s story.

And the American Media

Watergate And the American Media Then…read also about...
In Part 2 we will look at Watergate and the American Media. And the American Media

The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibilitly Learning Objectives
To understand the impact of the media on the Vietnam War. To understand the impact of the Vietnam War on the media. At the end of this unit, should be able to understand the impact of the media on the Vietnam War and the the impact of the Vietnam War on the media, the presidency and the public.

The Media, Nixon and the Crisis in Credibility Discussion Agenda
Reasons for the war Reporting on the war Confrontations of the war Impact of the war on media Today we will look at: --reasons for the war --reporting on the war --confrontations of the war --and impact of the war on the media

The Vietnam War Barbara Tuckman “The march of folly.”
Barbara Tuchman called Vietnam America’s march of folly.

“The making of a quagmire.” David Halberstam
David Halberstam called it the making of a quagmire. In Vietnam, as in the Civil War, a century earlier, America found itself deeply and violently divided about its national purpose. It was the first of twonational crises—Watergate being the second—in which the essential combatants were not the president and the opposition party or the president and the Congress but the president and the press. In both Vietnam and Watergate—the essential combatants were not the president and the opposition party or the president and the Congress but the president and the press.

Brief History of American Involvement in Vietnam -- how did the United States get caught in this conflict? To better understand the Viet Conflict, which was never declared a war, we need to know some history. First, Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is has the 13th largest population in the world today. Our question today is how did the United States get caught in this conflict?

Brief History of Vietnam: France
Before World War I Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were referred to as Indochina These were all French colonies The French had control of the colonies until their defeat by Germany in World War II in 1940. Between 1859 and 1885, a number of military conquests by the French, brought Vietnam under the umbrella of Indochina, all French colonies. Those under the umbrella included Lao and Cambodia. The French maintained control of the colonies until their defeat by Germany in World War II in 1940.

During World War II French (friend) defeated by Germany (enemy) leaving Vietnam without a functioning government Germany allows Japan (enemy) to take control of Vietnam in 1940; Japan leaves in 1945 During World War II, the French, our friend defeated by Germany, our enemy, leaving Vietnam without a functioning government. The French were forced to surrender control to Germany’s ally, Japan, which had invaded Indochina during the War in the Pacific in They would stay until 1945. Japan exploited the country’s natural resources for the Japanese Empire’s military campaigns in other Southeast Asian countries. The Japanese occupation also will lead to the Vietnamese Famine of 1945, which caused two million deaths, about 10 percent of the population.

After World War II Germany and Japan defeated Japan leaves Vietnam France moves back into Vietnam Communists in Northern Vietnam fight to get France out In 1941, the Viet Minh, a communist and nationalist liberation movement, emerged under the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh, who sought independence for Vietnam from France and the end of Japanese occupation. Following the military defeat of Japan and the fall of its puppet empire in Vietnam in 1945, the Viet Minh occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government which asserted national independence. In the same year the Provisional French Republic sent the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, originally created to fight the Japanese occupation forces, to pacify the Vietnamese liberation movement and to restore French colonial rule. ON Nov. 23, 1946, the French vessels bombarded the port city of Hai Phong and the Viet Minh’s guerilla campaign against the French forces began soon after. The Indochina War lasted until July 20, 1954.

Brief History of Vietnam
After World War II After Japan surrendered, Vietnamese led by Ho Chi Minh, declared independence U.S. perceived him as part of an international movement to spread communism Unfortunately, the U.S. perceived Ho Chi Minh as a part of an international movement to spread communism. Secretary of Defense under John Kennedy, Robert McNamara said, “We looked upon Ho Chi Minh as a servant, a vassal, if you will of Khrushchevv and Mao Tse-tung. He wasn’t that. He was a patriot. He was an Asian Tito. And he was leading a civil war, the force of nationalism and it was far stronger than we understood. We were wrong. We didn’t have our history. We didn’t have our culture correct.”

Brief History of Vietnam: U.S.
After World War II President Truman responded to Ho Chi Minh by sending 8 transport plans and $15 million to the French President Harry S Truman responded to Ho Chi Minh and what he saw as a Communist threat by sending the French 8 transport planes. IN 1950 he also gave the French $25 million.

After World War II President Eisenhower gives the French $40 million and sends advisors This ballooned to $40 million with President Eisenhower.

The Domino Theory “You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one in the certainty that it will go over very quickly.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954 Eisenhower believed in the Domino Theory. That if Southeast Asia went so would the rest of the world. If Vietnam fell to communism the dominoes would fall. Cambodia, Burma, Laos, India and finally the United States would be next. If Vietnam fell to communism the dominoes would fall. Cambodia, Burma, Laos, India and finally the United States would be next.

After World War II French realize they cannot defeat Vietnam and Communists and leave U.S. feels it can easily defeat this enemy Vietnam feeling they are fighting for their independence (France, Japan, France again, and now U.S.) We have to keep in mind that the French soon realized they could not defeat the Communists. The U.S., however, were feeling good. They won World War II. Meanwhile, Vietnam thought it was fighting for its independence from France, Japan and France again and the U.S.

After World War II U.S. starts paying 80% of cost of war to support the French….Why? Cold War was heating up Defeat spread of Communism The U.S. started paying 80 percent of the cost of the war to support the French. The question is why? For one, the Cold War was heating up. For another the U.S. wanted to defeat the spread of Communism.

President Kennedy sends more than 12,000 troops that eventually cost 58,000 lives The number of American military personnel in Vietnam rose rapidly during the Kennedy administration to more than 12,000. That began a decades-long commitment, that eventually cost 58,000 American lives. With the United States arrying 80 percent of the cost, the French placed ex-emperior Bao Dai as chief of state in Saigon.

French are defeated at Dien Bien Phu after 55 days of fighting End of the French Empire Ended France’s presence in Indochina However, the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu, a siege that lasted 55 days, ended France’s presence in Indochina. It was the end of the French empire.

Step back to The Geneva Peace Agreement 1954 Ended hostilities Divided Vietnam at 17th parallel Reunification through national elections in 1956 The Geneva Peace Agreement was signed in 1954, ending hostilities and partitioning Vietnam at the 17th parallel. It also called for reunification through national elections in 1956.

President Ngo Dinh Diem Ignored peace agreement Refused to hold elections Launched campaign to wipe out Viet Minh cadres in South Civil war ensued However, South Vietnam’s new Ngo Dinh Diem, decided to ignore the peace agreement and refused to hold elections. He then launched a campaign to wipe out some 8,000 to 10,000 Viet Minh cadres left in the South. The CIA and Diem’s army rooted them out and shot them on sight. There were no trials. The Viet Minh decided that the only way to survive was to fight back. They fought back, and ignited a civil war. And as the enemy became more energetic, the U.S. backed government of President Diem became more corrupt. He refused to conciliate the large Buddhist population, making his Roman Catholic government unpopular. Hatred spread as Buddhists partook in self immolations on Saigon streets when Americans caught this on the evening news. Diem had to go. Let’s listen to a visual of this period and what was developing.

President Lyndon Johnson Americanized and escalated the war, increasing U.S. combat strength in Vietnam from 75,000 to 150,000 Bottom line: we were fighting in a civil war Three weeks after Diem was killed President Kennedy was assassinated on the streets of Dallas. President Lyndon Johnson, once the most powerful U.S. Senator in American history and architect of civil rights legislation, became president and escalated the war in Vietnam.

U.S. press increased from handful to 207 by 1966. As Johnson increased troops, the press corps increased from a handful at the start of the war to 207 by By January 1968, the collective strength of accredited media representatives in Saigon was sizable, involving a combined mulitriillion-dollar annual outlay and a payroll of support staff covering perhaps 100 messengers, secretaries and translators. We should keep in mind that no formal censorship existed in Vietnam. Rarely did the Vietnamese president expel an offending U.S. newsman. It became the first war in which journalists were routinely accredited to accompany military forces but not subject to formal censorship. Journalists in Vietnam were free to go where they pleased and report what they wished. Vietnam was in this sense genuinely an uncensored war.

Trust Trust in the military. Trust in the presidency. Trust in the press. What we will soon find out that trust, trust in the military, trust in the presidency and trust in the press would erode very fast.

A Different Conflict US. is split about the purpose of the war
Cooperation between the media and military vanished with the Vietnam War What developed was a split in America and her press about the purpose of the war. The cooperation between the media and military vanished with the Vietnam War. How did America get involved in Vietnam? Let’s take a visual look.

Reporting on Vietnam During the early years of the conflict the press reported the war largely the way the U.S. government wanted it reported You do not have to take notes on the following facts. They are given to provide some perspective of what was going on.

Reporting on Vietnam Fact 1
From 1945 to 1954 the U.S. spent several billion dollars supporting ruthless French colonialism in Vietnam, but the public was never informed of this

1954 to 1964, Washington assumed full responsibility for maintaining S. Vietnamese right-wing dictatorships, but the public neither read nor heard a word about this major policy commitment

1965 the U.S. began massive buildups of ground forces, but Americans were told they were merely a small support force

Press knew the real nature of the escalation but felt it was in the national interest to keep this information from the public

Reporters were expected to get on the team--to share the military’s view of the war and its progress

The press censored the worst of the war, saying almost nothing about massive bombings of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, U-S sponsored torture, dumping of 12 million tons of Agent Orange

Editorial writers and commentators were supportive of U.S. efforts in Indochina until the very last years of the war

Reporting on Vietnam Early war coverage played a supportive role
Reporters were dubbed the “Saigon Press Corps”

Confrontations Press v. military Press v. public Press v. Government
What develops are three major confrontations: --Confrontations between the press and the military --Confrontations between the press and the public --and confrontations between the press and the government

Press v. Press The nation and press were pretty well begin the government’s decisions in Vietnam at the start. However, a rift would soon be noticeable The handful of reporters assigned to Vietnam during the early stages of the conflict became split about America’s efforts in Indochina. It was another confrontation of sorts. One group saw the war as a necessary evil, the other took a more activist role in probing the humaneness of military action. Aware of the growing criticism among the second group who were becoming critical of the Diem regime, Carl T. Rowan of the state department warned that newsmen should be advised that trifling or thoughtless criticism of the Diem government would make it difficult to maintain proper cooperation between the U.S. and Diem. One group saw the war as a necessary evil, the other took a more activist role in probing the humaneness of military action.

Reporting on Vietnam Time magazine criticized its colleagues who criticized the war If that wasn’t enough, a year later Time magazine gave those critical of the Diem regime a tongue lashing. Itattacked the Saigon press corps as propagandistic plotting to overthrow the Diem government and through distorted reporting, helping to compound the very confusion that it should be untangling for its readers at home. Time correspondent Charles Mohr and Mert Perry resigned in protest.

Journalists Wrote About…
Military deliberately falsified information Military withheld information detrimental to the continued belief in eventual success of U.S. policies These journalists wrote about --the military deliberately falsifying information --and the military withheld information detrimental to the continued belief in eventual success of U.S. policies The daily Saigon press briefings by the military became dubbed The Five O’Clock Follies because it was folly to attend. Reporters were given elaborate statistical accounts to justify the policies of the White House and the Pentagon. It would do no good to probe further because officers knew only what was in their communiques. These briefings included body count statistics, the number of enemy killed in the previous day and daily accounts of precision bombing raids of enemy convoys, roads, factories and trop concentrations at unprecedented saturation level. But reporters were growing weary of the rosy predictions being given out at the top. Many started working on different sides of the story.

Press v. Public Morley Safer’s “Burning of Village of Cam Ne”
Harrison Salisbury’s “Reports from the Belly of the Beast” The conflict between the media and the public is bet illustrated by CBS newsman Morley Safer’s and Harrison Salisbury’s reporting from Vietnam.

Morley Safer “Burning of Cam Ne” First time the public learns that something is wrong in Vietnam In August 1965, Safer was having coffee with some young marine officers who eventually asked him if he would like to join them in an operation the next day. Safer found himself on an amphibious carrier to a place called Cam Ne. He was told that the marines were going to level it, because they had been taking a lot of fire from the village and province chief wanted it leveled. Here is his report, which for the first time showed to the public that something was wrong in Vietnam.

Morley Safer U.S. soldiers should not be criticized
“Film was too realistic” U.S. soldiers should not be criticized Presentation was one-sided Before Safer’s report the media in general portrayed the U.S. government as unified, decisive, optimistic and sure of its course in Vietnam. TV, in particular, had trivalized the debate and confirmed the legitimacy of the president. Those who opposed the administration appeared to be outcasts. Morley’s report helped legitimize pessimistic reporting by all other television correspondents. Safer’s report paved the way for a different perception of the war and for a recognition that something was wrong in Vietnam. President Johnson immediately called his friend Bill Paley and complained about Safer’s report on the Communist Broadcasting Network . He inferred Morley was not even a U.S. citizen. He was from Canada.

Harrison Salisbury First to obtain visa to visit North Vietnam
Observations contradicted claims of U.S. bombing program’s success Americans questioned the credibility of the press A year after Safer’s report, Harrison Salisbury was the first to obtain a visa to visit North Vietnam. His observations there contradicted claims of U.S. bombing program’s success and the information he had received from the military press briefings regarding precision bombing raids. He found that U.S. military plans were hitting schools and hospitals. He also reported that such bombing missions did not stop the enemy. After his report Americans questioned the credibility of the press.

Press v. Public Public flogs the press Tet Offensive
For many the pictures and stories were too much to believe for the American public.

Salisbury was vindicated during the Tet offensive of 1968
Salisbury was vindicated during the Tet offensive of The offensive began Jan. 30, 1968, the beginning of the lunar year, with the aim of otppoing the U.S. backed South Vietnamese government headed by President Nguyen Van Thieu and its American allies. The North Vietnamese and their southern allies, the National Liberation Front sent some 84,000 men against most of South Vietnam’s major cities and towns. For the first time, American television audiences saw the enemy fighting in cities, including Saigon, during daylight hours.

Press vs. Government Walter Cronkite President Johnson
Cronkite, America’s most trusted newsman, decided to go to Saigon. His half-hour special, which he wrote himself, stunned a president and a nation. He reported that the war didn’t work, that in increase in troop strength would not turn it around and that the United States should think of a way to get out. Here is what he said. half-hour special, reported that the war didn’t work, in increase in troop strength would not turn it around and that the U.S. should think of a way to get out. President Johnson

President Nixon It was the first time in the nation’s history that a TV anchor declared a war to be over. President Johnson told his press secretary George Christian, that Cronkite’s report was the turning point. If he had lost Cronkite, he had lost the average citizen. It helped him make up his mind not to seek reelection. Richard M. Nixon defeated Vie President Hubert Humphrey in the 1968 presidential election campaigning on the slogan peace with honor.

Press v. Government Military/Government blame media for loss of undeclared war by swaying public opinion Nixon immediately begins a massive invasion of Cambodia. He believed the Viet Cong were planning to take over Cambodia and turn it into an arsenal and a refuge. He also began was urged to attach the network commentators directory. Nixon tapped Vice President Spiro Agnew, the former governor of Maryland, to do the job.

Press v. Government President Nixon fought back using Vice President Spiro Agnew First time a ranking federal official made direct attacks on those reporting and commenting on the news This was the first time a ranking federal official made direct attacks on those reporting and commenting on the news.

Press v. Government Attack 1:
“Networks and newspapers exercised too powerful an influence over public opinion” Here were the attacks: --1. Networks and newspapers exercised too powerful an influence over public opinion.

Press v. Government Attack 2:
“Network management used commentators with a preponderant ‘Eastern Establishment bias and for failing to provide a ‘wall of separation’ between news and comment” No.2: Network management used commentators with a preponderant Eastern Establishment bias and for failing to provide a wall of separation between news and comment.

Channels of Anti-War Sentiment
Campus teach-ins Student, church, and labor groups Peace organizations Kent State The radical press Underground press In the meantime, channels of anti-war sentiment started to take hold. Washington demonstrations prevailed and students at Kent State were killed in protests against the war. Let’s look at some actual footage.

Faced with growing animosity toward the war, Nixon began maneuvering to find a way to get out of Vietnam and jump started the Paris peace talks. Between Jan. 8 and 13, 1973, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Vietnamese official Le Duc Tho met secretly in Paris. Finally, in January a cease fire agreement was reached.

Watergate And the American Media Also in Chap. 12
However, Nixon, the nation, and the media faced another battle of deception. In Part 2 we will look at Watergate and the American Media. And the American Media

Welcome to Part 2 of The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibility.

The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibility Learning Objectives
To understand the media’s role in Watergate. To understand the impact of Watergate on the presidency. on the media. By the time you complete this unit, you should: --understand the media’s role in Watergate --understand the impact of Watergate on the presidency --understand the impact of Watergate on the media

The Watergate Story According to Bob Woodward, Watergate was indeed unique, a mega-scandal with a multitude of truly crazy elements and characters. The breakin at the Watergate was like a thread on a very large sock. Pulling on it for more than two years revealed the host of secret and corrupt activities in the White House. In fact, it revealed a criminal president who was willing to use the CIA, the FBI, the IRS, even the sacred institution, the Secret Service, illegally. “Nixon was willing to use the power of the federal government to secure his political position and pay back—tapes, to screw—his real or perceived enemies,” Woodward says. Pulling on the thread revealed more wiretaps, breakins, secret campaign funds, the payments of burglars for their silence. In the end, the Nixon tapes revealed a president obsessed. He was not able to carry out his crimes of concealment and coverup. According to Woodward, “Watergate is an immensely complicated scandal with a cast of characters as varied as a Tolstoy novel.” Let’s try to clarify what happened and why it happed.

Understanding Nixon To understand Watergate, one must understand the events leading to one of the greatest political scandals in the nation’s history. Nixon won a close victory against Vice President Hubert Humphrey in 1968 with the promise “to bring the boys home” from Vietnam. Instead of keeping his promise, Nixon began a secret bombing campaign against neutral Cambodia. Americans turned from an unthinking patriotism to dismay at the mounting casualty lists. As the media vegan to expose another administration’s lies about the course of the war, protests against the continuation of the war erupted in cities, including Washington, and on college campuses. In one protest, at Kent State University, we saw that four students were killed by National Guard troops. Nixon feared the Nov. 15, 1969 peace rally, that drew 250,000 to the Capitol. He ordered 9,000 troops into Washington, backing up thousands of police, and other armed forces. So fearful was the president that forces patrolled the White House corridors.

He also feared threats by militant groups, including the Weathermen and Black Panthers. The fear was justified, according to Nixon. In August 1970 a policeman was killed and six others were wounded in a series of gun battles with the Black Panthers and another black militant group in Philadelphia. On Oct. 8, 1970, the Weathermen reportedly were responsible for several bomb explosions at the University of Wisconsin. And on March 1, 1971, the Weather Underground bombed the U.S. Capitol.

The Plumbers He also feared leaks at the White House. To tighten White House security, he advanced a secret plan by staffer Thomas Huston to use illegal methods to get intelligence on left-wingers who organized demonstrations and leaked information. Nixon described these leaks as resumption of covert mail opening, increased electronic surveillance and an increase in campus informants. Within a month the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, and the president supported the plan. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover did not. He thought it unnecessary, though he did not object to its obvious illegality. Nixon eventually withdrew his support and Huston was heard no more. Its demise did not stop the president, who with Secretary of State Kissinger’s approval ordered FBI wiretaps on four newsmen and 13 government officials between May 1969 and February But a gusher in June 1971 turned into a tidal wave with the publication of parts of the Pentagon Papers in the New York Times.

Pentagon Papers An in-depth history of American involvement in
Indo-China beginning in 1945 47 volumes revealed that 4 administrations had lied to Congress and the public about U.S. military and political actions in these countries In 1967 then Secretary of State Robert McNamara ordered an in-depth history of American involvement in Indo-China from its start I It was completed in 47 volumes. Written coldly and objectively, and mostly using participants reports and words, it reveled clearly that four administrations had lied to Congress and the public about our military and political actions in these countries. The report revealed that four administrations had lied to Congress and the public about U.S. military and political actions in these countries.

Pentagon Papers The Plot Ellsberg took copy from
Rand Corp. and leaked it to several publications The report was kept under wraps until the Rand Corporation, a Santa Monica based think tank received a coy. Rand employee Daniel Ellsberg, who vehemently opposed the Vietnam War, took parts of the history and copied hem, and sent them to several newspapers.

The Battle The Press New York Times published long
selections from it on the front page The Government Justice Department filed a restraining order against further publication The Courts Supreme Court decided in favor the newspapers The New York Times began publishing long sections of the document on June 13, Attorney General John Mitchell asked the New York Times to discontinue publication of the document. It refused. At Nixon’s insistence, the Justice Department was ordered to issue a restraining order against further publication. A Federal District Court judge ordered the Times to suspend publication. The Washington Post then began printing excerpts. The Deputy Attorney General then threatened the Post with criminal prosecution. He suggested if the criminal charges were successfully prosecuted, the Washington Post Company could lose the licenses of its three television stations. On June 19, 1971, the judge refused to grant a permanent restraining order, noting the government did not impose a prior restraint on essentially historical data. It was then that the attorneys argued that the government could not prove that national security was involved. The Supreme Court finally decided in favor of the newspapers.

The Battle Having lost the fight over the publication of the papers, the Nixon administration wanted to punish Ellsberg. It launched an investigation, and he was indicted in a California court. Nixon’s group, the plumbers, then broke into his psychiatrist’s office in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. In order to find personal information that might discredit him.

The Battle That same week White House aide Charles Colson gave White House counsel John Dean a priority list of 20 political enemies that included politicians, journalists, and movie stars. The list included L.A. Times cartoonist Paul Conrad, top photo, Marvin Kalb, former TV newsman, and CBS newsman Dan Rather.

The Beginning of the End
After the midterm election setback of Nov. 1970, Nixon and his cadre became increasingly focused on the 1972 presidential reelection campaign. Polls at the time showed that the popular US. Senator from Maine, Edmund Muskie, would win the election in a match with Nixon. The White House did not want to run against Muskie; they wanted to run against U.S. Senator George McGovern, a liberal Democrat. The plan was now put into motion to run against the candidate the president wanted to run against. The goal was to destroy the Muskie campaign b taking the low-road approach to winning elections. With White House chief of staff H.R. Bob Haldeman’s knowledge, a destructive campaign filled with dirty tricks prevailed.

The Break-in The most notorious act was the break in by White House plumbers of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate complex. The plumbers were going to plant listening devices in the office of Lawrence O’Brien, chairperson of the Democratic Party. It was their second attempt, having bungled the job the first time. With professional locksmith tools and wearing rubber gloves the five entered the office again. But the security guard heard them and called the polices who caught them red handed. The next day the Washington Post ran an 83 inch story linking one of the burglars James McCord to the CIA. “Not your average burglar thought Post reporter Bob Woodward. Woodward also traced the name of E. Howard Hunt to a White House office.

Richard M. Nixon, President
THE WHITE HOUSE Richard M. Nixon, President H.R. Haldeman/John Erlichman, Chiefs of Staff CREEP NRP John Dean, Assistant to President Dwight Chapin, Appointments Secretary Ken Clawson, Deputy Director, Communications $700,000 Before we go on, you have to understand that two campaign entities were in operation. There was the NRP—National Republican Party, the high road. The other was the Committee to Reelect the President, the low road. Former attorney general John Mitchell was named head of that committee. CREEP would finance political spying and espionage as well as dirty tricks. Some $700,000 were amassed by CREEP to being dirty tricks. Most of the money, as we will see was laundered via Mexico. One of the dirty tricks, the Canuck Letter, a letter saying that Muskie slurred the Canadians, would become the focus of Woodward and Bernstein. If they could show the letter came from within the White House, they would know the top echelon of the administration was involved. Eventually they find that it did. It came from Ken Clawson’s office. Thus the dirty tricks were now linked inside the White House, which in its own right was illegal. Despite these breakthroughs, Watergate was getting little attention until Walter Cronkite took 15 minutes of his broadcast to explain the players and their activities the Friday before the Tuesday elections. Donald Segretti

Dirty Tricks CREEP amassed $700,000 to put dirty tricks into operation. CREEP hired USC graduate and lawyer Donald Segretti of Newport Beach, California, to sabotage Democrat. As a student, he was part of the USC mafia, along with Haldeman, that rigged student body elections at the Universitiy.

The Break-in The McCord Letter Political pressure applied to
defendants to pled guilty Perjury occurred Others were involved though their names did not come out in court ByMarch20, 1973, Watergate would become a big story. On that day, McCord, leader of the hit men, delivered to Judge John Sirica a letter stating that political pressure had been applied to the defendants to keep silent. He also wrote the judge that perjury had occurred during the trial, and that others involved in Watergate had not been identified. Meanwhile, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, with Chairman Sen. Sam J. Ervin of North Carolina began hearing testimony. Chief Senate Watergate counsel Sam Dash began to question McCord, who implicated White House counsel John Dean and Jeb Magruder, CREEP deputy director.

The Cover-up What? Money laundered through Mexican banking connections
Why? Dirty tricks Aided by anonymous sources by the name of Deep Throat, whom now we know was the late William Felt, deputy director of the FBI. They learned from Felt that a massive campaign of political spying and espionage by CREEP and the White House was under way. Money was needed for dirty tricks The cover up was under way and had been since the morning of June 17. The White House knew that the Watergate burglars and their chiefs, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, had knowledge of other breakins. If Hunt and Liddy were caught, the entire dirty tricks campaign wire tapping and other scandals might come to light. Money was needed for dirty tricks. TO understand this further, under a new law, April 7, 1972, was the deadline when anonymous contributions became illegal, so Maurice Stans, finance director for CREEP, hit the trail and raised millions. A good deal of it was in cash, some given in that fashion and some laundered through Mexican banking connections. On one trip from Mexico a plane crashed with Hunt’s wife aboard. Her suitcase contained thousands of dollars.

The Hearings Link dirty tricks to White House
A Pandora’s box opened on July 13, 1973 when Alexander Butterfied a former White House Communications aide, admitted out of the Senate chamber that Nixon had taped himself and all those he talked to since Sen. Ervin announced this in open session. The committee wanted those tapes. A series of events rocked the nation, tagged the Saturday Night Massacre by the media. On Oct. 12, 1973, the Court of Appeals ruled that the tapes requested by Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox must be delivered. This is what happened.

The True of Watergate The president of the United States circumvented the U.S. Constitution to select the person he wanted to run against. The sin of Watergate must underscored. The president of the United States circumvented the U.S. Constitution to select the person he wanted to run against and got it.

Sen. Ervin, chair of the Senate Select Committee, summed up the Watergate mess like this:

After his resignation from the presidency, Nixon spent more than two years away from public life. Finally in 1977 he agreed to sit down with British talk show host David Frost for a series of interviews. The interviews began on March 23, 1977 and lasted 12 days. Both were hoping to get something out of it. It would give Nixon the opportunity to reach a mass audience which would benefit Nixon at a time when his memoirs would be published. It also might restore his reputation. Frost, on the other hand, was hoping to resurrect his sagging career. Most devastating for the former president was in part three when Frost asked Nixon about the legality of the president’s actions. Nixon replied “Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.” The interviews were riveting and produced the largest audience for a political interview in history. Frost agreed to pay Nixon some $20 million.

“I let down my friends. I let down the country
“I let down my friends. I let down the country. I let down our system of government and the dreams of all those young people who ought to get into government and now think it is corrupt. I let the American people down, and I have to carry that burden with me the rest of my life.” Another riveting moment was when Frost asked Nixon if he had anything to say to the American people. This is what he said:

Nixon and the Press Press nonessential Remained isolated
Why did the press fail to put the president to the test that major candidates were expected to pass in 1972? He didn’t give them the opportunity. Nixon’s attitude toward the press was that it was nonessential and press conferences, Nixon believed, were nonessential. He looked at Watergate as a public relations problem. He raged against journalists, he confounded them, damned them, called down curses upon their heads. He referred to them as clowns who write for the media or simply sons of bitches. Nixon’s grade strategy to manipulate the press was threefold. To be above the battle president. To remain isolated To have associates execute and run with TV and propaganda techniques. Instead of holding press conferences and speaking to the press, Nixon asked for television time to deliver his message directly to the people. Nixon got back at the media. For example, the Post owned two TV stations in Florida and received two or three challenges to its license. One was by Bebe Roboza, Nixon’s best friend. Press nonessential Remained isolated Executed end runs with TV

Conclusion Impact of Vietnam & Watergate
The Media The Presidency The Public Vietnam and Watergate left a legacy of distrust, crises in credibility, which affected the press, the public and the presidency.

Conclusion Impact of Vietnam &Watergate
Changed way the press and public looked at government and politicians. Reinvigorated investigative journalism. Propelled journalists to fame and fortune. It changed the way the press and public looked at government and politicians. Watergate gave the public a glimpse of whqt really happens behind White House doors. It moved American journalists to adopt a much more aggressive and skeptical attitude toward American government and other institutions. Politicians, especially presidents, faced greater cynicism. It reinvigorated investigative journalism. And these new muckraking reporters looked for another Watergate which has produced one oversized gate after another. We have had Peanutgate, Irangate and Koreagate. It propelled journalists to fame and fortune. Journalists became celebrities.

Promoted Congress to pass legislation that would aid journalists and the public to easily obtain information. It prompted congress to pass legislation that would aid journalists and the public to easily obtain information. Extensive changes in campaign financing were enacted and it prompted passage of amendments strengthened the Freedom of Information Act of 1974 to force federal agencies to respond to information requests in 10 days. Every state passed open meeting laws. This was followed by federal laws protecting whistle blowers who exposed fraud and abuse at federal agencies from being fired, making it easier for reporters to get information. Laws also were passed that required new financial disclosures by key government officials and expectation president had to release income tax forms.

Weakened the presidency and made the press an almost co-equal branch of government. Convinced American that is was time to look beyond Beltway for its next president. Vietnam and Watergate weakened the presidency and made the press an almost co-equal branch of government. Journalists were elevated to hero status. It also convinced Americans that it was time to look beyond the Beltway for its next president. They did and elected Jimmy Carter, a Washington outsider, with hopes he would repair the integrity of the White House.

Next The Media and National Crises

The first televised war, even though footage was 24 hours old
Vietnam

What event marked the end of “pure and sanitized” reporting on Vietnam and also showed the public that something was wrong in Vietnam?: Inaccurate reports on death tolls and strategic bombings via “the Five O’clock Follies”

After the airing of Morley Safer’s The Burning of the Village of Cam Ne, what did the public think?
It was one-sided

Walter Cronkite's “post-Tet” report had what effect upon President Lyndon B. Johnson?
LBJ realized he had lost the political center and affirmed Clark Clifford's advice to pull back in Vietnam

The “five o’clock follies”
The military’s daily briefing for journalists during the Vietnam War came to be known as The “five o’clock follies”

Who legitimized pessimistic reporting by all other television networks?
Morley Safer

What documents showed that four administrations lied about U. S
What documents showed that four administrations lied about U.S. activities in Southeast Asia? The Pentagon Papers

President Richard Nixon's justice department got a restraining order against further publication of The Pentagon Papers. The U.S. Supreme Court decided in favor of whom in the case? The newspaper

He was the first high-ranking federal official to make direct attacks on those reporting and commenting on the news VP Spiro Agnew

This is considered to be the true “sin” of Watergate:
a president circumvented the U.S. Constitution and its electoral process

What was President Richard Nixon’s strategy with the press?
to end run the press and go on television

President Richard Nixon’s most devastating comment on the Frost-Nixon Interviews dealt with ------
The legality of the president’s actions

_______ changed the way the press and the public looked at government and politicians, ignited greater investigative journalism, brought fame to some journalists, and weakened the presidency and made the press an almost co-equal branch of government Watergate

The Media, Nixon and the Crises in Credibility

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