jul 18, 1972 - Watergate starts

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as Kennedy puts it in his eloquent way, Watergate made the Grant and Harding scandals look almost respectable. Nixon, in effect used government agencies like the FBI and the CIA to cover up his knowledge and involvement with a burglary. His cover up acts, which were obviously designed to protect his public image, were clearly an obstruction of justice. Nixon had also taped all telephone and in person conversations that had taken place in the Oval Office, but since they would show his guilt, he refused to produce these tapes when asked by the investigating tribunal. Eventually he had to cough 'em up, but not before he'd "censored" them for content. He had managed to get himself into a tangle that even the family cocker spaniel couldn't help him with. Nixon finally released the smoking gun and it proved him guilty as charged. His option was resign or be impeached and removed from office. He resigned August 8, 1974.

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