What if Watergate were today?

[Agathon]

It's 30 years since Watergate broke big and it's still a stain on democratic (or should I say Republican ) politics.

What would people be saying here if Watergate was going on right now.

I know I'd be suggesting Nixon be shot (probably only in the company of Sava). What about you (or what do you think other OTers would say )

[reds4ever]

It IS happening its called Huttongate :O)

[mrmitchell]

No one would care, because Bush is a Prophet of God and can do no wrong.

Hail the Almighty Bush, who is far more wise than any mere mortal who dares challenge him!!!

[Boris Godunov]

Nearly impossible to say, since much of the current U.S. political environment has been poisoned by Watergate and its aftermath. It would likely be a quite different political landscape today had Watergate not occured, so it's difficult to predict.

[Whaleboy]

Depends entirely on public support for that president in question. Assuming Nixon-like support, we'd expect something like watergate. Assuming idiocy of the masses (bush), he'd get off with a smack on the ass and a set of lego bricks.

[The diplomat]

Re: What if Watergate were today?

Originally posted by Agathon
What would people be saying here if Watergate was going on right now.

It depends. If the President happened to be a Republican then Dems would demand his immediate impeachment and removal from office. They would go on every news network and claim that Republicans are evil bastards out to destroy democracy and civil rights.

On the other hand, if the President were a Democrat, then Dems would claim that it is all a right right conspiracy to destroy the best President in American History, and that Republicans are evil bastards out to destroy democracy and civil rights.

[Boris Godunov]

Re: Re: What if Watergate were today?

Originally posted by The diplomat
It depends. If the President happened to be a Republican then Dems would demand his immediate impeachment and removal from office. They would go on every news network and claim that Republicans are evil bastards out to destroy democracy and civil rights.

Funny how you seem to forget history. You'll note that there has not in recent times been a wholesale partisan movement by the Democrats to impeach a sitting President.

However, the Republicans are the ones who did make such a move. Hell, prominent Republicans like Tom DeLay and Bob Barr were calling on impeaching Clinton right after he was elected for the first time, well before we ever heard about Lewinsky. They seemed to think disagreeing with a them = impeachable offense.

[mrmitchell]

Also, Diplo, remember that the halfway believable impeachment they proposed was because of a completely private matter.

Honestly, I don't give a **** about who Bill, George, or anyone is screwing, just as long as they can do their job good.

[Sharpe]

IIRC Bob Barr called for Clinton's impeachment 5 separate times including one time AFTER the Lewinsky situation.

One commentary I read joked that Bob Barr would call for Clinton's impeachment if Clinton sneezed during a State of the Union address as an impeachable offense...

With such an attitude, it was thoroughly enjoyable watching him lose in the primaries during the 2000(?) election.

[Boris Godunov]

Nixon's offenses were so blatant and so heinous that his ouster became a bipartisan affair. Ah, what it takes to get Congress to cooperate... wars and scoundrels!

[Odin]

The president will rot in a prison cell this time! Nixon should of been tossed in jail, but noooo, Ford had to pardon his former boss and used the "let's get over it line to cover his ass.

Bob Barr should rot in jail for his diarrhea of the mouth.

Diplomat needs to be sent to sent to a "reeducation camp."

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Odin
Ford had to pardon his former boss and used the "let's get over it line to cover his ass.

While Nixon should have gone to jail, I can't argue with Ford's pardon...and there's nothing about it I can see that was "covering" Ford's ass. If anything, it probably cost him election in 1976. The pardon did indeed allow the nation to move on and start putting the ghosts of Watergate to rest. Ford and others really believed it was necessary to do it so they could start national healing.

Now, in hindsight, maybe it would have been better to have had an example made of Nixon... who knows?

[Kuciwalker]

Re: Re: Re: What if Watergate were today?

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Funny how you seem to forget history. You'll note that there has not in recent times been a wholesale partisan movement by the Democrats to impeach a sitting President.

However, the Republicans are the ones who did make such a move. Hell, prominent Republicans like Tom DeLay and Bob Barr were calling on impeaching Clinton right after he was elected for the first time, well before we ever heard about Lewinsky. They seemed to think disagreeing with a them = impeachable offense.

In case you forgot, ANYTHING is an impeachable offense. Wearing the wrong tie is an impeachable offense. Congress is not required to justify an impeachment.

[GePap]

Yes they have to. If not there would have been far more impeachments in our history. It does say in the constitution a misdemeanor (I forget the whole wording but is certainly calls for this). General incompetence is NOT something one can be impeached for.

[Kuciwalker]

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present.


Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

Congress can impeach someone for anything they damn well please.