THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT NIXON

The Resignation of President Nixon

The Resignation of President Nixon

Introduction

President Richard Milhous Nixon was 37th President of the United States (in office: 1969-1974). Richard Nixon is distinguished from other US president as he was the only president who resigned from the presidential office. The resignation of President Nixon was historical event and was reported throughout the world in paper as well as electronic media. President Nixon resigned due to his political scandal which media termed as “Watergate scandal”. The scandal occurred in the US in 1970s as a consequence of the cover-up on the part of Nixon Administration for the break-in in June 1972 at the headquarters of Democratic National Committee which is located in Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.Scandal intensified day by day and resulted in the first and resignation of the US president from the presidential office. Watergate scandal also resulted in trial, indictment, conviction and incarceration of other 43 people, including dozens of officials from Nixon administration.

Scandal began when five men were arrested for breaking into the headquarters of DNC (Democratic National Committee) at Watergate complex on 17th June, 1972.Burglars were arrested and law enforcement agencies investigated them. Investigation led FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to a cash that was in the custody of the burglars. FBI after a thorough investigation connected this cash to slush fund that was used by the Committee which was formed to work towards re-election of the president Nixon. This committee was actually a fundraising group who was managing the re-election campaign of President Nixon. Evidence started to mount against the staff of President Nixon was coupled by testimony that former staff members of Nixon administration provided in an investigation that Senate Watergate committee conducted. All the evidences including a testimony revealed that a tape-recording system is installed in the office of President Nixon and he used it to record many conversations. Recordings from those tapes revealed the direct involvement and efforts of President Nixon the covering up the break-in. after a prolonged series of bitter battles in the US Supreme Court, President Nixon was ordered by the court to hand over all the tapes to the government agencies and he complied to the orders and handed over all the tapes.President Nixon in the wake of strong chances of conviction in Senate and an impeachment which was quite certain decided to resign from the presidency on 9th August, 1974. Gerald Ford, the 38th US president and Nixon's successor issued a pardon to Nixon.

Discussion

Time Editorial: “President Should Resign”.12th November, 1973

Editorial was written on 12th November, 1973 in Time magazine. In this article, the on-going state of affairs related to Watergate scandal is termed as “point of no return”. Prediction was made that president may have to resign from the office as he has lost moral authority, confidence of citizens of United States therefore his ability to effectively govern the American people. Article termed all his days which he was spending after the popularity of Scandal as “further ...