The Nixon administration’s array of illegal activities known as Watergate gave the next president Gerald Ford the difficult decision of prosecuting America’s president and his administration; similarly Barrack Obama is being faced with the same predicament as the Bush administration leaves a slough of illegal activity as they leave office. As Gerald Ford prosecuted the cabinet with the exception of Nixon, it is only fitting that Barrack Obama do the same.
On November 17, 1973 President Richard Nixon addressed the country in his final televised event and became the first president to resign form office. This was all in the wake of the Watergate scandal where three men were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters in order to sabotage it. The FBI linked the men to President Nixon exposing a vast amount of illegal activities all over the world. Nixon maintained his innocence, rejected accusations of wrong doing and vowed to stay in office as his approval ratings sharply fell. He insisted that though he had made mistakes he had no prior knowledge of the burglary or cover-up until early 1973. That November he addressed the country and so famously said;
“People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.”
President Gerald Ford was sworn in immediately after Nixon resigned and was faced with the decision of weather or not to prosecute Nixon and his administration for there crimes. Though the decision was very unpopular Gerald ford decided not to prosecute Nixon in light of all of his wrong doings because he thought that the American people would lose faith in their government, causing the nation to divide further. The rest of Nixon’s administration was fair game for head Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski. Many people in Nixon’s administration were prosecuted for their crimes involving the Watergate cover-up.
Barrack Obama the new predecessor to the bush administration is very much following in a modern day version of Gerald Ford’s shoes as the Bush administration leaves behind many counts of illegal activity over the course of his eight year presidency. These crimes include engaging in the Iraq war, torture at Guantanimo bay, and the controversy the “Patriot Act” which legalized wire tapping. Barrack Obama has stated that he does not want to prosecute George bush or his administration for their crimes because he wasn’t the country to progress instead of being stuck up on the past. He also does not want the country to lose faith in their government, sharing the same view as Gerald Ford. Other politicians like Nancy Pelosi disagree with Obama’s decision and think that criminal activity should be prosecuted no matter what.
I believe that Barrack Obama should as the very least prosecute President Bush’s cabinet following the example of Gerald Ford’s decision. I think that the decision to not prosecute the administration in order to keep the country from dividing, may have the opposite effect making barrack Obama appear to be protecting the Bush administration. Considering George bush’s incredibly low approval rating this may be a mistake for Barrack Obama. Plus Prosecuting these individuals for their crimes could take the bitter taste out of America’s mouth.
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2 comments:
What strikes me most about the content is that as well written as this essay is, it makes no connection to current events. You have a very strong writing structure going, and you are very concise in your writing about the history of the events leading up to the resignation of President Nixon and the swearing in of President Ford.
You have a strong thesis and, for what you have, you stick to it well.
my only question is what made you want to use nixon and not FDR like the rest of the class?
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