I’m glad to hear Hedges critique quoted. The core question is never answered by Graff. The current format and line of inquiry in this set of hearings is not going to be effective unless witnesses are compelled to testify live and the accused are confronted with the evidence. If it is not conducted in this format it will be dismissed by many, possibly the majority, as a show trial. Watergate was effective precisely because it was the opposite. The accused were on stage and given the opportunity to respond. When they faultered confronted with the weight of evidence and facts, the loss of their legitimacy was impossible to dismiss or overlook
This is an excellent segment, and I’m sold on reading the book, but when the author gets to the hopeful part, and talks about all the institutions that had to come together in a delicate ballet in order to bring Richard Nixon to Justice in 74, I have to disagree with the assertion that Nixon was ever brought to justice, because he committed crimes for which people are supposed to go to jail, and the worst he faced was public humiliation and having to quit in disgrace; never served a day of jail time. I recall Time magazine I think it was, perhaps 10 or 15 years later, doing a cover story about the “rehabilitation of Richard Nixon”, and yet, Richard Nixon never showed contrition, never faced legal consequences for his crimes, and wasn’t remotely rehabilitated, except the media automatically seems to forgive abusers of American power, perhaps to maintain the myth of American exceptionalism, but for whatever reason, The public never seems to get satisfaction in the long run when it comes to criminal consequences of people in power abusing that power. We may have institutions that do a delicate dance in order to preserve democracy, but let’s not overstate how Democratic the country ever really was. That’s a form of American exceptionalism, and any form of that, is a lie.
I’m 70 years old. I remember watching the Watergate hearing. It was the most popular show on TV. I had a Watergate Coloring Book. Join in on the fun, color the facts! I had a Tricky Dicky alarm clock. The eyes would shift from side to side. Yeah! Those were the days my friends!
Nixon was always a crook. And, I liked Betty Ford out of all the GOP First Ladies. We Humans survived those times, but, we didn’t have 8 billion residents and violent Climate changes like, now. When was the last time the USA had a big celebration of something Progressive?
Explained quite well. Thank you.
Thank you Garrett Graff for your informative documentary.
Same corruption, different era.
Just so y’all know, Christopher Hitchens already informed the world about the Nixon campaign’s deal with South Vietnam to prolong the Vietnam conflict. he wrote “The Trial of Henry Kissinger”, published in 2001. It kind of pisses me off that Graff is acting like this is just something we are learning now.
Remember the bumper stickers displayed during Nixon’s second campaign? ” Don’t change Dickson in the middle of a screw; Vote for Nixon in ’72.
The Republican Party and federal court and justice system are definitely not what they were during Watergate. The government has already fallen and is completely dysfunctional. All of this is the early stage of the coming Chrsitofascists. Please have Chris Hedges on to talk about this.
In 1978 my HS World Contemporary Problems teacher told us we would deal with the Nixon Legacy. He was correct.
LOCK HER UP “I love the poorly educated.” — drumpf
Correction: John Ehrlichman was Chief Domestic Advisor, not Nixon’s Chief of Staff. That was Bob Haldeman. The distinction is crucial because Nixon tasked Haldeman with telling the CIA to block the FBI probe into the Watergate break-in: “Tell them it will open up the whole Bay of Pigs thing again.”
In light of these disclosures US need to retrospect and decide how they should behave in future. US should feel totally ashamed. Unfortunately Politicians of US are shameless.
Unfortunately GOP has perfectionated this game. Changing election laws to win the election even when loosing puplic votes Keep the whole party standing on naratives even they are unconstitutional. Actually they want to have a congress like in Russia or china with some authocratic leaders. If GOP comes to power again with or without Trump, democracy has lost in US and is over!
In Spring 1970, the Yippies announced a Smoke-In at the Lincoln Memorial for July 4th. After killings at Jackson and Kent State there was talk of canceling until Nixon announced that “Honor America Day” with Bob Hope and Billy Graham instead. On the day, the Yippies gathered by Wahington Monument and matched towards the Mamorial and the “patriotic” straights. When the cops moved to intercept, the Yippies waded through the Reflecting Pool to the back of the crowd while the cops launched tear gas grenades. This so disrupted the event that Nixon’s paranoia about foreign money behind hippies and Democrats that he initiated the burglary two years later. (And caused Trump to put a fence across the pool when he put on his military “parade.”)
Juan “Sancho Panza” Gonzales’ feeble attempt to bring the “dead-on” criticism of Hedges got shot back by Propanganda Amy’s refocusing the story the Watergate. How sad!! No push back from Sanchito?!?! Not a chance. Got to pay the bills!!
I was in CUNY studying the effects of colonialism during the Watergate era. (1972 – 1976). As a Vietnam vet and student of international politics, I wasn t surprised that “Tricky Dick” and Co. were up to no good. In fact, the entire colonial apparatus was based on greed and corruption at all levels. What did surprise me is that the usually conservative US press was actually exposing Nixon and Co. and their shenanigans. Some of the press and some of the public opinion took Nixon, the most powerful leader of the Western world and hung him out to dry. Some of Nixon’s own country forced him out of office into an early resignation. Out went Nixon and in came Ford and it was business as usual after that. It was done as simple as the ABCs.
There is an earlier example of Nixonion subterfuge in a subsequent Republican administration, Reagan, he was involved in delaying the release of Iranian hostages, taken during Carters administration, in order to occur after he was elected in1980. He was involved in the decision to bomb Beirut, Lebanon to cause chaos in the Middle East on behalf of the Israeli backed Maronite Christian Govt. resulting in the creation of Hamas & the death of several hundred American & French soldiers followed by the ignominious cut & run out of Beirut. The Iran-Contra in Nicaragua, the involvement in Panama 🇵🇦 & Grenada 🇬🇩. In my mind Reagan before Trump was the most corrupt President. Trump is a different kettle of fish, a narcissistic, psychopath for the only thing that matters, “Is the end justifies he means” but to be done at the expense of useful idiots giving him plausible deniability. He is so dangerous, Nixon & Reagan could not hold a candle upto him! Trump is never deterred from further criminal acts of mega proportions because of early failures. He is like th Covid 19 virus that mutates to more virulent mutation with each attempt to contain it. America will only be safe from Trump & mutants ensuring he is behind bars for the foreseeable future & serve as examples for wannabe tyrants like Holly, Cruze & Cotton!!!
I voted for President for the first time in November 1972, just months after being discharged from the Air Force. I knew Nixon would win but I did not imagine that US Voters were so stupid to vote for Nixon by a land slide. I gave up on politics. Its only gotten worse in the past 50 years.
Fascinating!
What happens when Children are taught the wrong lifestyle at a very young age. These unfair and prejudice practices are embedded in their heads. Once these young Children start learning for themselves. The Children are abused and controlled. Politicians are long-term and teach their Children ways at times that does not allow the Children to think for themselves. What happens when People are illegally place on the streets. The People will do things out of Character to survive. What happens when your loved ones are hurt or Someone kills your loved ones. The trust is gone and the tragedy lasts a lifetime. That is what is going on with Politics today. Politicians are well aware that when the Politicians allow People to attack innocent People. The People are not themselves any longer. The People are Survivors to get injustices prosecuted to become whole again. Every time the Leaders in Politics take this time away to prolong injustices without cause our lives are not as they should be to live our best. Politicians are not helping the People when the Politicians pass laws that clearly suggest that the People who are showing their patience are being violated over and over again by this Bermuda Triangle thug life gang that has secret lifestyles to harm us.
When you compare the Jan6 committee with Watergate there is no comparison. All the participates were forced to testify. Even the Supreme Court was quick in making it’s decision about the tapes. And the hearing was publically televised for the whole world to see as it should be.
Damn I knew Chris Hedges had lost it when he went on Alex Jones show.
that’s why I despised Nixon years before Watergate..Garret didn’t say a word I didn’t know.. ..Anna Chennault was Barry Goldwaters ‘s Press “friend”. She was into all sorts of right wing stuff. JohnBirch’s ethnic friend. of course, they were just understanding the devestation Mao’s “Giant Leap (off a cliff)Forward” wrought.. ..and right-wingers were going absolutely spastic..(nothing unusual)
The biggest difference between Nixon, and Trump is that Nixon knew when the gig was up, and actually had a conscience.
But what about the fact that we know America has never been a democracy?? We know that USA has always been a plutocracy and or an oligarchy? Isn’t that a teeny tiny bit important?
Hedges is right
The funny thing is people are so ignorant they don’t even know what they’re doing has already been done before! 🤦🏻♀️
Still waiting for the Kennedy papers!!! …
Have Republican politicians changed in the last 50 years?
America at a cross road Fascism or Democracy Choose wisely Americans Our constitution depends on you
there is certainly no shortage of “experts” wiling to offer their opinion to the J6 Committee. Did they ask?
In a normal country, Nixon would have been locked up for what he did.
Chris Hedges has the finger on it.
HOW many innocent people got killed in that war???who is criminals in that war ???what they did with those criminals??
Put this under information I’ve never heard before and I’m 69.
If you’re insurrection last longer than 4 hours, call a doctor.
I have always voted for Democrats. The last of which was Obama. Funny that no comparisons have been made about Obama spying on General Flynn and Richard Nixon. While I don’t like Trump comparing his stupid behavior to a clever criminal like Nixon or a CIA stooge like Obama is a real insult to many who watch your show. On the other hand FOX, MSNBC, CNN and NPR is such garbage that Democracy Now will remain the best show to watch. You should do a show looking at why folks like Glen Greenwald and Chris Hitchens at this point appear on Tucker Carlson and Democracy now being shunned by MSM for having flown to close to the truth.
Chris hedges is right
“…that whole bay of pigs thing…” Coup d’etat here in America and the response is let’s go shopping. All dignity died on 11/22/63.
They think people can’t recognized MOB than ReaL government!!!!
brilliant sedment
the GREEDY “republican” just get more GREEDY
Why are we being distracted by an event that took place 50 years ago; when we’re in a nose dive crisis of today’s economic disaster; while our borders are wide open and millions of illegal immigrants are pouring into our country and no one is guarding the hen house! Guess who’s to blame!
Glorious E
14 uur geleden