Was Ford Right to Pardon Nixon?

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 38.8%
  • No

    Votes: 30 61.2%

  • Total voters
    49
  • Poll closed .
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One of the most controversial (and most hated) decisions ever made by a US President was Ford's decision to pardon Nixon in the aftermath of Watergate. Nixon had clearly been guilty of obstruction of justice (we know this thanks to the smoking gun tape that triggered the resignation), but in one act Ford spared his predecessor from any legal consequences whatsoever. Ford claimed this was done to quickly move the country past Watergate and into a better future. Historically, Ford's supporters argued that the pardon helped to heal the wounds of Watergate and prevented a humiliating trial of a former US President. In contrast, Ford's opponents have contended that the pardon actually poured salt on the wounds of Watergate, not healed them, by showing that the President is indeed above the law and by convincing many Americans that the new President came to power as part of a behind the scenes "corrupt bargain." In this thread you get to decide: was Ford right or wrong?
 
I say no. It set a dangerous precedent, basically affirming the idea that the President IS above the law. If they can do whatever they want in office, resign, and then be pardoned for the things they did (by a successor who they themselves had initially appointed, at least in Nixon's case), then are they really the same as the rest of us? Are they really still bound by the same laws?
 
Also, after voting please feel free to share your feelings below. Thanks to everyone who has participated so far.
 
It also signals that the U.S. is weak(or at least that we think we are), that we can't hold former Presidents accountable for fear the nation will collapse or erupt into civil war. Though that might be more true now than then, thanks to more decades of polarization.
 
Yes

Had Nixon gone on trial all Carter would had done is put ads up showing Nixon at the Republican convention on the left and at trial on the right. He would have won similar to Obama in 2008.
 
A 'painful' trial would have forced a exposure of the details, settled a few rumors & cannards, and maybe a few reforms or improvements. It may have forced some folks to rexamine their views of the end justifies the means.
 

Kaze

Banned
Yes, it helped the nation move on from a terrible time. Yes, some people were bitter that Nixon was not tried or imprisoned - at the time, the nation needed to move on and look towards a brighter future without an albatross hanging around.
 
I voted and I have a very strong opinion on this. However is this a CHAT topic as there is no POD
 
If Ford hadn't granted Nixon a pardon, and made the GOP spend the rest of 1974 and 1975 sitting through the humiliation of a Nixon trial, he probably would've gotten primaried by Reagan.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
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Please don't try to evade the "No polls" rule in Chat by positing political discussions elsewhere.

Chat thread, can not move due to attached poll.

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