WI: No/Alternate Saturday Night Massacre?

Delta Force

Banned
What if President Nixon had not conducted the Saturday Night Massacre and forced the resignation of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus in an attempt to have them dismiss Special Investigator Archibald Cox?

Alternatively, what if Solicitor General Robert Bork had refused to dismiss Cox and had also resigned? From Wikipedia:

That evening, in an event dubbed the Saturday Night Massacre by journalists, President Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to dismiss Cox.[4] Rather than comply with this order, Attorney General Richardson resigned, leaving his second-in-command, Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus in charge of the Justice Department. Ruckelshaus likewise refused to dismiss Cox, and he, too, resigned. These resignations left Solicitor General Robert Bork as the highest-ranking member of the Justice Department; insisting that he believed the decision unwise but also that somebody had to obey the president's orders, Bork dismissed Cox. Bork also considered submitting his resignation, but Richardson and Ruckelshaus dissuaded him from resigning, arguing that Bork had to remain in office to ensure continuity of the administration of the Justice Department. Upon being dismissed, Cox stated, "whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people to decide." His successor as special prosecutor was Leon Jaworski, named by Bork.
 
If Nixon successfully covers up Watergate, things don't just stay the same. Rather, over time American politics becomes more corrupt.

On the plus side of the ledger, maybe a greater chance of SALT II being confirmed by 2/3's of Senate?

But then, Nixon was worn out and Ford did a credible job. Of course, Watergate was one reason Nixon was worn out. But, public life didn't really come easily to Nixon. An as example, biographer Richard Reeves said that it took Nixon a week to prepare and gear up for a press conference, and then several days to come down from it.
http://dailynorthwestern.com/2001/1...-reveals-private-turmoil-of-nixon-presidency/ <-- for the week of prep

His C-SPAN talk is even better.
 
Last edited:

Delta Force

Banned
If Nixon successfully covers up Watergate, things don't just stay the same. Rather, over time American politics becomes more corrupt.

On the plus side of the ledger, maybe a greater chance of SALT II being confirmed by 2/3's of Senate?

But then, Nixon was worn out and Ford did a credible job. Of course, Watergate was one reason Nixon was worn out. But, public life didn't really come easily to Nixon. An as example, biographer Richard Reeves said that it took Nixon a week to prepare and gear up for a press conference, and then several days to come down from it.
http://dailynorthwestern.com/2001/1...-reveals-private-turmoil-of-nixon-presidency/ <-- for the week of prep

His C-SPAN talk is even better.

The SALT II negotiations would have to conclude prior to 1976 and likely earlier to avoid becoming an election year issue.
 
Ford met with Brezhnev Nov. '74 in a western part of the Soviet Union (Vlad . . . something -stok) for SALT II.

The agreement was scuttled by conservative Democrats such as Henry "Scoop" Jackson, plus the requirement that treaties by ratified by 2/3's of the Senate. But I understand that the agreement was largely followed by each side as long as the other side followed it. So, on that grounds, maybe it was a success.

I wonder whether Ford didn't keep Senators in the loop and instead presented the thing as a completed fact, but that would be a serious mistake for a seasoned legislator. I mean, Ford had something like twenty-five years in the House.
 
Top