I’ve heard several times lately, Republicans bragging about how they saved the country from falling apart during Watergate. This meme seems to be moving around on the cable news networks.
Watergate was a political awakening for me. I was glued to the TV, watching and sound recording (VCR’s weren’t for the public back then) many of the Senate hearings and buying newspapers with transcripts of the Nixon tapes. I remember the Republicans fighting tooth and nail trying to discredit every witness that told the truth about what was going on.
After a couple of years of investigations from Democratically controlled congressional committees, and several major newspapers, articles of impeachment were finally drawn up. Here's how the Republicans voted, on the 3 articles of impeachment that passed.
1.
|
Edward Hutchinson (Ranking) |
No
|
No
|
No
|
2.
|
M. Caldwell Butler |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
3.
|
William Cohen |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
4.
|
David Dennis |
No
|
No
|
No
|
5.
|
Hamilton Fish |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
6.
|
Harold Froehlich |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
7.
|
Lawrence Hogan |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
8.
|
Delbert Latta |
No
|
No
|
No
|
9.
|
Trent Lott |
No
|
No
|
No
|
10.
|
Joseph Maraziti |
No
|
No
|
No
|
11.
|
Wiley Mayne |
No
|
No
|
No
|
12.
|
Robert McClory |
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
13.
|
Carlos Moorhead |
No
|
No
|
No
|
14.
|
Tom Railsback |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
15.
|
Charles Sandman |
No
|
No
|
No
|
16.
|
Henry Smith |
No
|
No
|
No
|
17.
|
Charles Wiggins |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Now think about this. There were actually tape recordings of Nixon saying he could raise hush money to keep people silent, and numerous other recordings about obstructing justice. And STILL 2/3 of the Republicans would not vote to impeach him!
This is who the Republicans are. This is who they have been for decades, only now they are much worse. Don’t expect the Republicans to find some thread of patriotism that will lift them up so they will actually put their country ahead of a tax cut. They will only do the right thing when their agenda to reward their Oligarch masters and punish the middle and lower income Americans is threatened.
So every time you hear about the Republican heroes of Watergate, remember it’s a lie and point out to whoever is pushing this meme, that they can’t rewrite history.
RESIST!