How Donald Trump Has Redefined Watergate: Nixon only "may" have been guilty

[Demovictory9]

How Donald Trump Has Redefined Watergate
Nixon’s downfall was once a cautionary tale. Yet under Trump, Nixon only “may” have been guilty and historic Watergate rulings may have been misguided.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/07/05/trump-nixon-watergate-344769

The word "Watergate" might be shorthand for scandal, but it's also a story of hope: Through a combination of dogged criminal investigators, serious oversight by Congress and sustained public attention, the wheels of accountability ultimately turned even for the president of the United States.

Donald Trump and his allies are telling a different story.


In everything from casual statements and tweets to formal court filings, Trump himself — along with his staff and supporters — has been framing a version of events that feels not just unfamiliar to many Americans, but which people who lived through it likely never thought possible.

In this story, President Richard Nixon is no longer necessarily the conductor of a sprawling attempt to cover up crimes, stamp out investigations and bully people. Instead, it's a question mark: “he may have been guilty,” Trump said. Nixon wasn’t forced out as he faced certain removal from office. According to Trump, “he left.” Trump has indicated Nixon’s biggest mistakes were that he “fired people” and “had tapes all over the place,” notably omitting why he wanted to fire people, or what behavior and cover-ups the tapes revealed. Then there’s the historic ruling that granted lawmakers in Congress access to a summary of the special prosecutor’s evidence on Nixon — a decision that propelled the congressional impeachment probe. In court, Trump’s attorneys argued the result would be “different” today.

Not only have Trump and his boosters reframed the Watergate story, they have effectively demoted it on the list of American political scandals. It now “pales in comparison” to a litany of modern-day offenses, real or not: Hillary Clinton’s private email server (real), Barack Obama secretly wiretapping Trump Tower (not), OBAMAGATE! (evidence-deficient claims about a government plot to take down Trump).

[RANDYWILDMAN]

1. we have no voice of reason

Propaganda has taken root.

Fascism has gone unchallenged for far too long in this country.

Military industrial complex is entrenched.

Center left is treated as far left and far left is ignored as crazy radicals.

don't give up!

Vote Vote vote

[lame54]

2. He was just making some mix tapes...

Boyfriends do that for their girlfriends all the time

[Stuart G]

3. Trump will go down, as a very stupid & ignorant clown. (apologies to all clowns)

[Demovictory9]

4. I hope so. If he is re-elected, we are f*cked.

[bobbieinok]

5. Trump, GOP are DISGUSTING

[rusty fender]

6. The Repukes have been trying to reframe

Watergate and Nixon’s involvement in it, for years.

G. Gordon Liddy wrote a book that claimed that John Dean ordered the break-in of the National Democratic Committee headquarters because the Dems were in possession of incriminating evidence on Mo Dean, John’s wife.

Yeah, it’s total bullshit, but Repukes have always been craven liars.

[Karadeniz]

7. Every day he achieves a new way to destroy this country...but he couldn't without his fans and

Supporters.

[Demovictory9]

9. and so much of his destruction happens when we aren't looking.. distracted by the latest outrage

[Chainfire]

8. Well, just go back and rewrite that chapter.

“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”