Nixon’s Domestic PolicyNixon’s Domestic PolicyNixon’s Domestic PolicyNixon’s Domestic Policy� How did Richard Nixon’s personality affect his relationship with his staff?

� How did Nixon’s domestic policies differ from those of his predecessors?

� How did Nixon apply his “southern strategy” to the issue of civil rights and to his choice of Supreme Court justices?

I. Who Is Richard M. NixonWho Is Richard M. NixonWho Is Richard M. NixonWho Is Richard M. Nixon

A. Born in California – he considered himself an outsider.

B. Was a Republican.

C. Lost the bids for President of the United States and Governor of California.

D. Was reserved and remote.

E. Uncomfortable with people.

F. Lacked humor and charm.

G. American’s perspective:

1. Some respected for his experience and service as Vice President.

2. Others, neither trusted nor liked him.

H. Was willing to say or do anything to defeat his opponent.

I. Had few close friends.

1. Family – Wife, Pat and his two daughters.

2. Close advisors.

a. H. R. Haldeman — Chief of Staff.

b. John Ehrlichman —

Personal Lawyer and Chief of Domestic Affairs.

c. John Mitchell — Attorney General.

d. Henry Kissinger —

National Security advisor and

Secretary of State.

II. Domestic PolicyDomestic PolicyDomestic PolicyDomestic Policy

Because of the Vietnam War and restoring law and order to the cities of the U.S., Nixon broke with many of the policies of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

A. Inflation

1. Because of the Vietnam War, inflation had doubled.

a. Government was spending more than it was taking in on taxes.

b. Budget deficit was growing.

c. Unemployment was growing.

d. Deficit Spending –spending more money in a year than the government receives in revenues.

e. Imposed a 90 day freeze on wages, prices, and rents in 1971.

f. Imposed a 60 day general price freeze in 1973.

g. Inflation continued to soar.

B. Oil

1. Energy Crisis

a. Nation’s growing population and economy were using more energy each year.

b. Environmental concerns about using coal, which was plentiful.

c. Federal regulations kept the price of natural gas low.

d. Oil production began to decline in 1972.

- US relied on imported oil for about 1/3 their energy needs.

2. Unrest in the Middle East

a. During the 1973, Israel and Egypt/Syria went to war.

- US backed Israel.

b. Arab OPEC – Organization of

Petroleum Exporting Countries

- imposed an embargo or ban on the shipping of oil to the Untied States.

- Also quadrupled the price of oil.

c. Inflation of prices continued, so American began cutting back on spending which lead to a recession.

C. Social Programs

1. Nixon cut back and shut down some social programs created under Johnson.

a. Waste of money.

b. Encouraged “welfare cheaters”.

c. Discouraged people from working.

2. Nixon called for a new partnership between the federal government and the state governments called New Federalism.

a. States would assume greater responsibility for the well-being of their own citizens.

b. Federal money could be used as the states wished.

D. Southern Strategy

1. Nixon was not a great supporter of the Civil Rights Movement.

a. Few African Americans voted for him in both elections.

b. He felt that any black votes might cost him the support of the white southern

voter.

c. His only solution was to win over the top southern Democrats like Strom Thurman to help support him as president.

E. Supreme Court

1. Had criticized the Supreme Court for being too liberal and easy on criminals.

a. During his first term, Nixon was able to appoint 4 new justices to the court and reshape the court.

b. They were: Warren Burger, Chief Justice; Harry Blackmun; Lewis Powell; and William Rehnquist.

Nixon’s Foreign PolicyNixon’s Foreign PolicyNixon’s Foreign PolicyNixon’s Foreign Policy� What role did Henry Kissinger play in relaxing tensions between the United States and the major Communist powers?

� What was Nixon’s policy toward the People’s Republic of China?

� How did Nixon reach an agreement with the Soviet Union on limiting nuclear arms?

Nixon’s creative approach to foreign affairs helped ease Cold War tensions. With the help of Henry Kissinger, Nixon helped establish ties with China and crafted stronger relations with the Soviet Union.

I. I. I. I. Henry Kissinger Henry Kissinger Henry Kissinger Henry Kissinger

A. Realpolitik is a German term meaning “practical politics”. Henry Kissinger followed this policy that was to make decisions based on maintaining their own strength rather than following moral principles.

1. Kissinger will apply this principle with China and the Soviet Union.

2. . . . Kissinger also understood the press. He had the ability to shape the media to shape public opinion.

3. Kissinger’s influence in the Vietnam War and easing Cold War tensions made him a celebrity.

4. Won the Nobel Peace Prize and appeared on 21 Time magazine cover.

5. Kissinger’s efforts left a lasting mark on American foreign policy.

B. Relaxing Tensions

1. Nixon’s and Kissinger’s greatest accomplishment was détentedétentedétentedétente - relaxation of tensions, between the United States and the world’s two Communist giants.

a. Nixon at one time was one of the most better and active anti-communists in government.

b. As President, Nixon distrusted the government’s leaders and his close advisors and kept most of his foreign diplomacy a secret.

II. II. II. II. A New Approach to ChinaA New Approach to ChinaA New Approach to ChinaA New Approach to China

After Mao and his Communist took over in 1949, the United States refused to recognize the People’s Republic of China, viewing the government of Chiang Kai Shek in Taiwan and his nationalists as the legitimate Chinese rulers.

1. Nixon understood that the communist government of China was not going to go away.

2. Other nations began to recognize China as a country again.

3. The United States could no long convince the world to oppose China.

4. It will give China a seat in the UN.

B. Nixon traveled to China in 1972, which was covered by the press in great detail and he hoped would boost his image at home.

1. Met with Mao Zedong.

2. He and his wife toured the Great Wall and other Chinese sites.

C. When he returned, formal relations were not yet restored, but the basis for diplomatic ties had been established and Americans applauded Nixon for taking a more realistic approach to Asia.

1. Nixon hoped his motives of having a Chinese friendship would help with Soviet relations as well.

III. III. III. III. Soviet UnionSoviet UnionSoviet UnionSoviet Union

A. Nixon also visited with the Soviet Union and its leader Leonid Brezhnev. The two nations reached several decisions and agreed:

1. to work together to explore space.

2. eased trade limits.

3. complete negations on a weapons pact.

B. In 1969, The United States and the Soviet Union had begun the Strategic Arms Limitation talks. By 1972, the talks produced a treaty that would limit offensive nuclear weapons and became known as the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty or SALT I.

1. A five year agreement that froze the number of:

a. intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMS)

b. submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMS)

c. antiballistic missile

defense systems (ABMS)

C. SALT I was a triumph for the Nixon administration and an important step forward. Yet it did not:

1. reduce the number of warheads the two nations possessed.

2. did it stop them from improving nuclear weapons in other ways.

It helped to ease what had been growing concerns about the arms race and the willingness of the two countries to work together.

Objectives:� How did the Nixon White House battle its political enemies?

� How did the Committee to Reelect the President conduct itself during Nixon’s reelection campaign?

� What was the Watergate break-in, and how did the story of the scandal unfold?

� What events led directly to Nixon’s resignation?

I. I. I. I. Enemies List, Wire Tapping and the Enemies List, Wire Tapping and the Enemies List, Wire Tapping and the Enemies List, Wire Tapping and the PlumbersPlumbersPlumbersPlumbers

A. Why did Charles Colson create the “enemies list” for Nixon?- So Nixon would have a list of people who were seen as unsympathetic to Nixon’s administration.

B. Nixon, who believed in law and order, took illegal action by wiretapping the National Security Council and The New York Times. Why?

- Because information was being leaked from the White House.

C. Daniel Ellsburg, a Defense Department official, had leaked the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times. What were the Pentagon Papers?

- A study which showed President Johnson lied about the situation in Vietnam.

D. So to stop the “leaks”, Nixon had put together the “plumbers” headed by E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordan Liddy. What was their purpose?

- To stop the government leaks.

E. The two plumbers with the approval of Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman, committed what crime?

- Broke into Ellsburg’s psychiatrist office to get information on his private life to punish him for leaking information.

President Nixon was determined to win President Nixon was determined to win President Nixon was determined to win President Nixon was determined to win the 1972 election. Loyal aides carried the 1972 election. Loyal aides carried the 1972 election. Loyal aides carried the 1972 election. Loyal aides carried out schemes to help ensure that the out schemes to help ensure that the out schemes to help ensure that the out schemes to help ensure that the President would win. Some of those President would win. Some of those President would win. Some of those President would win. Some of those aides committed crimes along the way. aides committed crimes along the way. aides committed crimes along the way. aides committed crimes along the way.

II. II. II. II. 1972 Re1972 Re1972 Re1972 Re----election Campaignelection Campaignelection Campaignelection Campaign

A. John Mitchell, head of the Committee to Re-elect the President launched a special fund-raising campaign to re-elect the president.

1. Part of the Committee’s job was to damage the opponent’s campaign.

a. The Committee would use“dirty tricks”.

b. How did the committee damage the campaign of Democrat Edmund Muskie? - Hecklers were sent to disrupt his campaign.

- Had spies within the democratic party.

B. Gordan Liddy was given the job to oversee the wiretapping of phones at the Democratic National Committee headquarters located at the Watergate Apartment Complex, in D.C.

1. June 17, 1972 – burglars broke in to wire tap phones and got caught.

2. What were they carrying that linked them to the Committee to re-elect the President?

- Money

3. The next day, Nixon calls the CIA. Why?

- To try to persuade the FBI to stop investigating because it was a matter of National Security.

The entire story of the illegal break-in and illegal cover-up became known as the Watergate Scandal.

III. III. III. III. Watergate ScandalWatergate ScandalWatergate ScandalWatergate Scandal

A. In the summer of 1972, H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, John Mitchell tried to do what to the Watergate defendants?

1. Bribe them with hush money.

2. Coach the defendants on how to commit perjury.

B. That November, Nixon will win the election of 1972.

C. The trial of the Watergate burglars began in January, 1973, before Judge John Sirica?

1. All of the burglars were found guilty.

2. All were sentences to long prison terms.

a. Judge wanted them to cooperate with Senate Hearings.

D. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein worked for the New York Times.

1. While investigating they found vital information the Senate will use in its prosecution.

IV. IV. IV. IV. Senate HearingsSenate HearingsSenate HearingsSenate Hearings

A. Senate Select Committee is formed to investigate the Watergate affair.

1. Chaired by Sam Erwin.

2. Information given:

a. Halderman and Ehrlichman resigned to protect the president.

b. James McCord testified that Nixon staffers were involved.

c. John Dean testified that Nixon knew about the cover-up.

d. Alexander Butterfield testified there was a secret taping system in the oval office.

- The Senate Select Committee wanted the tapes for evidence.

B. Nixon agrees to the appointment of a special prosecutor –Archibald Cox to conduct interviews with government officials.

1. Cox asked Nixon to hand over the tapes.

2. Nixon ordered him fired.

a. The Saturday Night Massacre begins.

C. Nixon replaces Cox with Leon Jawarski.

1. When Jawarski asked for the tapes, Nixon gave him edited transcripts.

V. V. V. V. Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment Impeachment

A. Impeachment: to charge the president with misconduct while in office.

B. House Judiciary Committee began hearings to determine if there was enough evidence for impeachment.

1. They agreed there was and so Nixon was impeached

a. The second president to ever been impeached.

b. The first was Andrew Johnson.

2. Charges were:

a. Obstruction of Justice

b. Abuse of Power

c. Refusal to obey Congressional Order

C. Now it needs to be decided that if what he did was grounds for removal from office.

1. Entire Impeachment Process

a. House would hold a vote.

b. Senate would hold a trial presided by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

c. 2/3s of the Senate (67 senators) would need to find him guilty for him to be removed from office.

d. Verdict would be final. No appeal.

e. Nixon never gets to this point in the process.

VI. VI. VI. VI. The OutcomeThe OutcomeThe OutcomeThe Outcome

A. The Supreme Court orders Nixon to hand over the takes.

1. He does, but there is an 18 ½ minute gap in the tapes.

2. This is evidence that Nixon was involved.

B. August 9, 1974

1. Nixon resigns as president

a. First president ever to do so.

b. Gerald Ford becomes the new President.

VII. VII. VII. VII. WAIT….FORD?????WAIT….FORD?????WAIT….FORD?????WAIT….FORD?????

A. When Nixon was elected in 1972 to a second term, his Vice President was Spiro Agnew.

B. As Vice President, Agnew was accused of evading paying his income taxes.

C. He will resign as Vice President 10 days before the Saturday Night Massacre.

D. Nixon will choose a new Vice President, Gerald Ford.

1. House minority leader.

2. Took the Senate 2 months to confirm Ford.

3. A year a half later he will be President of the United States.