Watergate is a term used to describe a complex web of political scandals occurring between 1972 and 1974. Although twenty-five years has passed since the notorious President Nixon resigned from office, the infamous legacy left by Richard Nixon and his administration will never be forgotten, leaving the American people with distrust among Politicians and disrespect for the American Presidency. In August 1968, Nixon stated at a Republican convention, America is in trouble today not because her people have failed but because her leaders have failed (Porter, 206). This ironic quote foreshadows the demise and corruption of one of the most controversial presidents, Richard Millhouse Nixon.On January 20, 1969, Richard M. Nixon had become the thirty-seventh president of the United States. As Nixon entered the White House, he was full of bitterness and anger about past defeats, and about years of perceived slights from others in the political establishment (Kalb, 98). Nixon, a Republican, once stated that, Washington is a city run primarily by Democrats and liberals, dominated by like-minded newspapers and other media (Porter, 199). Nixons obligation to control his political destiny and to forestall the damaging of his agenda by incumbents urged him toward the development of what was, in effect, a secret government (Colodny, 6). The word, Watergate, refers to the Watergate Hotel located on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. In addition to the hotel, the Watergate complex houses many business offices. What happened in the complex on June 17, 1972 early in the morning became a very historical event for our nation that no one will ever forget. It was here that the offices of the Democratic National Committee were burglarized. Five individuals were arrested at the Watergate complex after the burglary. Charges were also pressed on G. George Liddy and E. Howard Hunt; Judge John Sirica sentenced the Watergate Seven. Although Nixon was worried ...
