Comparing President Trump to President Nixon
Then
Trump was in his late 20's when then President Nixon was in the Watergate hearings in 1973. It was just as divided politically as it is today in 2019. Much of the public, many who had voted for Nixon in 1972, now wanted the crook impeached. Nearly daily, protesters waved signs demanding Nixon be impeached for ordering the break-in of the Democratic HQ. Nixon, at first, denied he knew anything about it. That position remained so until James Dean, his counsel, turned on him in the special investigation, which, ironically, Nixon, was forced to appoint! Once Dean turned, others did also to save themselves from prosecution or reduced jail time. As the hearings went on, much of the Republican party remained steadfast with Nixon, although, in private, it wavered. But as the general public turned on Nixon, much of the media did also. Nixon called the press the "enemy of the people" for its lies they reported, or so Nixon thought. Nixon went on about how he did not order the criminal break-in early on, yet when the truth came out, it was Nixon who was the liar. When the special investigation found out that Nixon had been recording conversations in the oval office, it tried to subpoena them numerous times. Each time, the attempted failed on the basis of some flimsy legal precedence until Nixon was forced to give them. As circumstantial evidence mounted in the early days, there did not seem to be any direct evidence linking Nixon to the criminal activity, yet as time went on, this changed and it was Nixon's own recordings that implicated him as he could no longer deny any knowledge of it. Nixon grew to hate the press and would at times, confront their reporting calling it a "conspiracy" from leftists. More and more, Nixon acted like the guilty person he was with stupid denials that most knew were just lies. It was not long before Nixon refused to meet with the press and press meetings became far and in-between. The mounting pressure from public opinion showed that over 75% of Americans thought he was a crook, even though Nixon exclaimed, "I am not a crook" in front of America. Yet he was. He knew it and instead of the humiliation of being impeached, he resigned. But, when President Ford (Nixon's VP) was appointed, Ford pardoned Nixon! That angered most of America again. The crook had got away!
Now
Today, it is ironically, Trump going through a similar event after two years in office. Trump never thought he might be in this position and everyone awaits the special investigation report. Many of Trump's men have been indicted and sentenced for activities that happened during the 2016 campaign. Some charges truly are criminal that casts suspicious light on Trump. Resignations happen all the time with Trump's appointees because they do not agree with Trump. The Russian collusion has been denounced from day one by Trump despite his own CIA indicating it did happen. Trump, like Nixon, calls the press "fake news" when it does not compliment him or support what he states. Fake news is enemy of the people. As it was then, with Nixon, few Republicans dare to criticize Trump in public in fear of retaliation. Many think he does no wrong, while others in private, think otherwise. While there has been a special investigator appointed, it was not from Trump who wanted it. The report will no doubt show Trump, like Nixon, was personally involved in more ways than he is willing to admit. The payments to two hookers at first was denied by Trump until his personal attorney's office was raided and evidence seized. Trump then altered his story like Nixon did to fit new facts. Trump said he never Putin before 2016, and that was a lie because facts show otherwise from Russian sources. Both Nixon and Trump are men that lie until facts prove otherwise.
Lacking today are the visible demonstrations of public anger and disgust with Trump. Nixon faced those daily outside the WH and wherever he went, yet, Trump has not. It is more sporadic, even though, the same 75% of Americans feel Trump is hiding something. Today, daily drama occurs in the WH over a variety of things, just like when the impeachment hearings happened in seventies.
Trump may dodge any attempt by the Democrats to impeach. This is because the Senate is controlled by Republicans and also, whatever the investigation does show, it may not rise to the level needed for impeachment. What are "High Crimes" in today's world? Is making a payment to a hooker to keep her silent in a presidential campaign, a "high crime"? Is Trump telling his son to discuss secrets with a Russian of significance, a "high crime"? Does meeting with Putin before 2016 about building a Trump Tower in Moscow, meet a "high crime" status? Is Trump's real estate business, which profits from the Trump presidency, a "high crime"?
Nixon's smoking gun was his own voice on the various recordings in the oval office. Once the prosecutor got them, Nixon was fried and he knew it (which is why he fought so many subpoenas). With Trump, there has been a lot of suspicious smoke of possible "high crime", but no smoking gun. Of course, this may change once the investigation is over.
Stay tuned.
