WI Nixon didn't know about Watergate

The POD is that Nixon is never told anything. Instead, Haldeman and Erlichman are the highest-up people who know. Does the scandal still have long-term effects? Do people still become cynical about government and politicians? Who does Nixon hire to replace Haldeman and Erlichman?
 
They still investigate and find out the other many impeachable offenses (the Fielding burglary, the dairy bribes, the bribes from ITT, Gulf Chemical, and at least a dozen other organizations, the tax fraud, etc.)
 
Assuming that Nixon legitimately doesn't know about the Watergate break in, he's very likely to throw Haldeman and Erlichman under the bus so to speak in order to save himself. It'll tarnish the man's legacy, but he'll finish his term in '77 and we'd probably see a Republican victory in '76.
 
Assuming that Nixon legitimately doesn't know about the Watergate break in, he's very likely to throw Haldeman and Erlichman under the bus so to speak in order to save himself. It'll tarnish the man's legacy, but he'll finish his term in '77 and we'd probably see a Republican victory in '76.

Hopefully. Baker/Percy, `76!
 
Hopefully. Baker/Percy, `76!

But probably Reagan/Schweiker.

Nixon will likely lose the political capital that he would have had and will be unable to get Canada-style healthcare through. However, he will likely be able to beat the anti-femininists and make gender equality part of the constitution. He'll exit office as an above-of-average president.
 
But probably Reagan/Schweiker.

Nixon will likely lose the political capital that he would have had and will be unable to get Canada-style healthcare through. However, he will likely be able to beat the anti-femininists and make gender equality part of the constitution. He'll exit office as an above-of-average president.

Whomever the Republican candidate is in '76 is definitely going to be riding Nixon's coattails. You'd see Reagan running in '76 (I'm pretty sure), as well as probably Baker, Richardson, Brooke, Connally and maybe Buckley.

As for good ol' Tricky Dick, he actually didn't know about/wasn't involved in the Watergate break-in. The thing that brought him down was the coverup, and if he simply threw Haldeman, Erlichman and the others (edit: Mitchell and Macgruder) under the bus, he'd be able to finish out his term. The 1974 midterms would probably see a good GOP beating, but he'd be able to weather it.
 
Whomever the Republican candidate is in '76 is definitely going to be riding Nixon's coattails. You'd see Reagan running in '76 (I'm pretty sure), as well as probably Baker, Richardson, Brooke, Connally and maybe Buckley.

But I think, considering Reagan very nearly primaried a sitting president IOTL, he would likely sweep the opposition beside him.

As for the general, I think it would be hard for him to connect himself to Nixon's legacy due to their well-known hatred of one another.
 
But I think, considering Reagan very nearly primaried a sitting president IOTL, he would likely sweep the opposition beside him.

As for the general, I think it would be hard for him to connect himself to Nixon's legacy due to their well-known hatred of one another.

That's true, though I imagine that Nixon would have a successor in mind (Connally most likely, though Brooke would also be a possibility) and would stump pretty hard for them.
 
That's true, though I imagine that Nixon would have a successor in mind (Connally most likely, though Brooke would also be a possibility) and would stump pretty hard for them.

With Connally, the issue is that he was a Democrat until very recently, so Nixon would not support him. With Brooke, the issue is that Nixon would feel he's too black for the Republican electorate.

I think Nixon would choose Baker as his successor. Moderately conservative but not a Reaganite, Nixon would think he'd get past the electorate while not being a reactionary. I think Nixon would make it appear like he supports every candidate save Reagan (this "making everyone think of you as an ally" thing was a very Nixonian trait) and keep his support of Baker clandestine.
 
With Connally, the issue is that he was a Democrat until very recently, so Nixon would not support him. With Brooke, the issue is that Nixon would feel he's too black for the Republican electorate.

I think Nixon would choose Baker as his successor. Moderately conservative but not a Reaganite, Nixon would think he'd get past the electorate while not being a reactionary. I think Nixon would make it appear like he supports every candidate save Reagan (this "making everyone think of you as an ally" thing was a very Nixonian trait) and keep his support of Baker clandestine.

I dunno, Brooke was one of those names bandied around as a possible VP when Agnew resigned and Nixon offered him a few cabinet level positions, and Connally was pretty close to Nixon from what I remember.

Baker would be a good choice though, I agree. Not a Reaganite will definitely make him attractive to Nixon
 
I dunno, Brooke was one of those names bandied around as a possible VP when Agnew resigned and Nixon offered him a few cabinet level positions, and Connally was pretty close to Nixon from what I remember.

I think if Nixon pushes Connally, it would fail. Connally was just seen as a turncoat, plain and simple. And as for Brooke, I don't think Nixon was sincerely considering him for VP. Nixon even 'drafted' a speech to announce Reagan as his nomination, which is clearly bogus. Again, Nixon wanted to make it seem like he was everyone's ally.

Baker would be a good choice though, I agree. Not a Reaganite will definitely make him attractive to Nixon

But the question is, does he beat Reagan? I'm guessing not.
 
Connally was not a good campaigner on a national stage. Nixon's support may not be enough to compensate for that-particularly since Nixon will probably be really unpopular by 1976.
 
I suspect Nixon would learn about it one way or another, and when that happens he'd get defensive. He'd be relcutatnt to accept a scandal in his administration, and would probably try to cover it up.
 
Could Rockefeller run in 1976 TTL? He never quite took his eye off the top prize and I think if it came down to Reagan vs. Rocky, Nixon would be more likely to back Rocky.
 
They still investigate and find out the other many impeachable offenses (the Fielding burglary, the dairy bribes, the bribes from ITT, Gulf Chemical, and at least a dozen other organizations, the tax fraud, etc.)

This, plus the plot to firebomb the Brookings Institution, the campaign financial scandals and dirty tricks and a ton of other things.

Not to mention the fact that Agnew is probably still going to get nailed for tax evasion and bribery.

The Watergate break-in opened Pandora's Box and yielded a ton of stories about the Nixon White House and campaign long before there was a shred of evidence that Nixon was involved in any way at all. The very best case here is that Nixon's reputation is dragged through the mud and he limps through his term. Nixon could throw people under the bus, but there was such a pervasive pattern of misbehavior that he was not going to be able to escape unscathed.
 
Could Rockefeller run in 1976 TTL? He never quite took his eye off the top prize and I think if it came down to Reagan vs. Rocky, Nixon would be more likely to back Rocky.

It's certainly possible that Rockefeller would run, and I agree that if it came between Reagan and Rocky, Nixon would swallow his pride and back Rocky.

I suspect Nixon would learn about it one way or another, and when that happens he'd get defensive. He'd be relcutatnt to accept a scandal in his administration, and would probably try to cover it up.

That's what happened in OTL. Nixon didn't know about the break-in until it already happened. In this, let's say that instead of getting defensive, he gets mad that Haldeman and Erlichman did something without his approval.

Connally was not a good campaigner on a national stage. Nixon's support may not be enough to compensate for that-particularly since Nixon will probably be really unpopular by 1976.

Brooke might be someone that garners national attention, and Nixon might try and get someone who is a moderate and not too tied to his administration
 
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