Introduction
Sometimes, a single occasion may have a considerable impact on the country’s politics, defining the further course and provoking political scandals. They can happen everywhere, and the United States is not an exception. For example, the event referred to as the “Watergate Scandal” is a massive political scandal of the early 1970s involving the then-president of the United States, Richard Nixon, and his administration. Watergate affected not only American politics but also other U. S. institutions, such as the press and court.
Primary Events of the Watergate Scandal
The Watergate affair earned its name because of the place of action – the Watergate hotel, where the Democrats’ offices were located. In June 1971, five burglars tried to break into the hotel, attempting to fix a bug placed there as it was malfunctioning (The Required Materials). Their attempt was unsuccessful since all of them were arrested, and there was evidence pointing to Nixon’s participation in the burglary. Although the then-president denied his involvement, a $25,000 check meant for his reelection was found in the bank account of one of the burglars (Welte, 2019). A massive political scandal followed these events, supported by corruption questions related to Nixon and his cabinet. The American people decided to believe their president, which led to his reelection in 1972 with more than 60% of voices (Welte, 2019). However, the event created many doubts and suspicions among the citizens, representatives of the press, and government members.
Further events and revealed facts pointed to Nixon’s involvement, making it more evident than before. Firstly, many of Nixon’s top aides were charged with conspiracy and burglary during the Watergate incident, which led to their resignation. The Senate Watergate Committee further discovered that the then-president had a tape system set up in his offices for recording conversations, but Nixon declined the request to provide them (Welte, 2019). Nevertheless, the Supreme Court eventually allowed the Committee to ignore the president’s executive privilege and acquire the tapes. His involvement in the Watergate scandal was finally revealed, which led to multiple impeachment counts, but Nixon decided to resign from his position, making Gerald Ford replace him (The Required Materials). To date, Nixon remains the only U. S. president who resigned from office before the end of his term.
Watergate’s Significance and Effect on America
The Watergate affair left a massive impact on the future of American politics and the country itself. First of all, U. S. citizens lost their trust and respect for the American presidency, making most politicians look suspicious in the eyes of ordinary people (Welte, 2019). There is a high chance that the loss of willingness to accept the presidential course, statements, and values was conditioned not by the scandal itself but by Nixon’s initial attempts to conceal his involvement. American people could not, or did not want to, believe their authorities anymore. However, they did acquire more sympathy for the Democrats since they appeared as the Watergate victim (The Required Materials). Additionally, a 1973 survey demonstrated that the U. S. citizens considered Watergate the worst political event of those years since it harmed people the most (Welte, 2019). In other words, the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s unwillingness to confess raised anti-governmental moods across the country, and winning people’s trust back appeared as a challenging task.
The Watergate affair affected not only politics but many other significant aspects of U. S. life and the internal system. For instance, it “caused the press to be much more critical of people in leadership positions, especially the president” (Welte, 2019, p. 3). It became much more difficult for politicians to persuade the press or prove their positions or intentions on many levels. After the Watergate events, the U. S. federal court and the judicial system also changed. As mentioned previously, the Supreme Court and federal judges were a part of the scandal. Though it was not a negative involvement, Watergate showed that the American judicial system needed specific alterations. The affair caused “the enactment of the federal Ethics in Government Act, which reshaped and challenged the role of the independent prosecutor in investigating alleged misconduct in the Oval Office” (Dubay, 2018, pp. 533-534). Overall, the political scandal impacted different large American institutions, not only the internal political condition of the country.
Conclusion
The Watergate affair significantly influenced American politics, how the citizens looked at politics, and many prominent institutions, including the press and federal court. Primarily, the scandal was a matter of dishonesty and lay within the government, especially the president and his administration. American citizens and press representatives could not trust their authorities anymore, seeking proof of their actions or statements. The Supreme Court also had to change and develop, trying to improve the prosecution. Moreover, the political situation within the country changed since people started sympathizing with the Democrats, seeing them as the victims of Watergate. The scandal significantly impacted the entire country, defining its further course for many years ahead.
References
Dubay, C. A. (2018). Public confidence in the courts in the internet age: The ethical landscape for judges in the post-Watergate era. Campbell L. Rev., 40(2), 531-567.
The Required Materials (n.d.). Web.
Welte, L. (2019). Watergate and the bicentennial election. The Histories, 7(1), 1-7.