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How Richard Nixon Was Brought to Justice -- Discussion

Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 04:31:22 PM EST

Carol White, ePluribus Media Book Reviews Editor, brings us a review of The Conviction of RICHARD NIXON; the untold story of the Frost/Nixon Interviews by James Reston, Jr. (Harmony Books, New York (2007), $22, 207pp.

Her review entitled How Richard Nixon was brought to Justice, gives a brief chronology of the events that brought James Reston, Jr. and David Frost together to plan the interview questions that Frost would ask Richard Nixon in a widely publicized interview only a few short years after Watergate and the fall of the Nixon presidency.

"Reston was hired to advise Frost and help him to prepare the interviews. The stakes were high. Reston believes that Nixon underestimated Frost, who had built his career as a British television entertainer and soft celebrity interviewer. He likely thought he would be able to use his well-honed prosecutorial and political skills to create a forum in which he would be rehabilitated. As it turned out, Nixon was wrong. He was outgunned.

In her review on the ePluribus Media Journal, White makes the connections between Nixon, Bush and the abrogated powers of the media.....

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commentary :: :: :: buzz-it!

How Richard Nixon Was Brought to Justice -- Discussion | 12 comments (12 topical, 0 hidden)

Making Waves (5.00 / 4) (#1)

I think the fact of the Broadway Play and the upcoming film on the book should bring it to public notice.

The press in those days took their responsibilties far more seriously than they do today.

I think the publication of this book and its dramatization can be a useful point of reference for politicals. I suspect that that was a strong motive behind reviving the story of the debates.

by carol white on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 01:34:48 PM EST

I hope someone (5.00 / 4) (#2)

writes a book in the future about the lessons learned from Watergate and Iran Contra that has helped the Bush administration escape justice.

by standingup on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 02:12:55 PM EST

Wasn't the Clinton Interlude part of the package (5.00 / 3) (#4)

By going after Clinton as they did, didn't they devalue Watergate?

I am left wondering exactly; what you meant by your comment though. It is interesting.

I really thought that the book was important because for God's Sake Frost was engaged in the pursuit three years later. The press had some spine in those days.

I believe the drama of the contest between Frost and Nixon is the meat of the play. I would love to go see it but I am not travelling to NYC. Maybe it will come to Washington.

Another thing interesting about Reston's book was the cooperation he got from lawyers who had been working on impeachment procedings which were of course stopped when Nixon resigned. They were quite frustrated. They had found a transcript of material that had been wiped out of the tape that was incriminating and that was what allowed Frost to back Nixon into a corner where he had to admit that he was guilty of obstructing justice, lying and commmitting violations of the constitution.

I really like Reston. I read his memoir about his daughter which was really good.

by carol white on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 09:31:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Carol (5.00 / 2) (#7)

By going after Clinton as they did, didn't they devalue Watergate?

Listen to the Diane Rehm and Dean discussion, I have linked below, and hear what Dean says about that whole episode as to Clinton and the Impeachment.

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 08:32:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Not sure (5.00 / 1) (#9)

they devalued Watergate by going after Clinton. I would think it was more of a devaluation of the impeachment process and powers by using them for such purely political purposes.

What I meant by my comment is that the republicans who have been in power over the last decade have learned from the mistakes they made in Watergate and Iran Contra scandals. I think part of their success in expanding the presidential powers, avoiding prosecutions and impeachment can be attributed to a better strategy that was developed through a process that included examining weaknesses and errors in previous scandals, making adjustments so the same mistakes were not repeated. One area where the republicans hold an advantage over democrats hands down is in the area of developing strategies.

by standingup on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 01:50:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As Dean Said (5.00 / 2) (#11)

I would think it was more of a devaluation of the impeachment process and powers by using them for such purely political purposes.

You're right, but, they didn't want to go after the Office of the Presidency, so they went after Clinton directly.

I never saw it that way and still don't, they almost Destroyed the Office of the Presidency by making it look completely weak, in the eyes of the World, over what would have been considered a minor infraction because it had Nothing to do with National Security nor the Leadership of a President over Country.

By doing what they did, and when getting Total Control, it was easy for them to rebuild the Office in their image, just tell their co-horts in Congess to ubber Stamp, stay the hell out of the way, and don't question a thing.

advantage over democrats hands down is in the area of developing strategies.

They Think they are and they spin the propaganda so it's relatively easy for the Apathedic to grab by continuely changing the subject.

The new Republican Party telegraphs their message well before it's found their actually using what they are accusing others of doing.

And as Strategists one has to wonder how they missed seeing their destruction as a political ideology, of which is exactly happening because of their actions. Oh it'll be around for awhile but only in names and words, because those who still think they are are the sheep, moderates and just right of, who have kept their mouths shut about All that was happening. And only now they are coming out, in small numbers, voicing their disgust, Too Late!!

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 04:14:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

: Oh By the Way (5.00 / 1) (#12)

I always thought Rove was a complete ass. They built him up, as others were, just like they did with Reagan, who was another that wasn't what he was made out to be.
Trouble is we as a society are Real Easy to Fool, at least the majority, they believe most of what they hear than turn on Reality TV and get involved like it's Really Reality!!

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 04:21:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Goosebumps (5.00 / 3) (#3)

Ok...I admit it, I got goosebumps reading Carol's review.

by susie dow on Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 05:15:30 PM EST

On Same Subject Matter (5.00 / 1) (#5)

This was on the Diane Rehm NPR show yesterday:

John Dean: "Broken Government" (Viking)

The former counsel to President Richard and key player in the Watergate controversy explains why he believes Republicans have damaged all three branches of American government.
Guests
John Dean, legal counsel to President Nixon during Watergate and author of "Blind Ambition," "Lost Honor," "The Rehnquist Choice," "Warren G. Harding," "Worse Than Watergate," and "Conservatives Without Conscience."

When Dean speaks, at least for me, he says alot of what's on my mund about what's been going on and the direction we've taken as a country.

By the way, for not being a writer, and usually lousy at the attempts, I was published yesterday at 'Boston NOW', in their paper and at top of list at their papers site, and I'm not from Boston, just started posting some stuff on their blog pages. They sent me this yesterday:

Greetings James!
Your blog entry titled "Rebuilding Iraq in the Saddam Mold" has been
selected for publication in today's paper.
If you didn't have a chance to pick up the paper around Boston to see
yourself in print you can also download the PDF at
BostonNOW.com/go/pdf.
You're also noted in the daily blog roundup
.
Thank you for sharing your views with the newspaper readers and being
a part of the community at BostonNOW.com!
Best regards,
BostonNOW
Blog Roundup for September 10
Posted 3 hours 28 minutes ago by blogroundup
Filed in BEAT
Blog Roundup for September 10
These are the eight blogs that appear in the print issue of BostonNOW on Monday, September 10.
Rebuilding Iraq in the Saddam Mold
By: jimstaro
As everyone already knows General David Petraeus will be visiting Congress to give -his- -gwb's- cheney's report on the -surge- escalation, long ago passing any discription for the word 'surge'. (More..." )

I'm getting another book from posting that on Daily KOS, it's Pepe's new book, and his publicist contacted me about the use of the two reports from Baghdad and mention of his books. Didn't get much play at KOS, as ussual.

I also received a copy of Brandon Friedman's book The War I Always Wanted after dowloading, than loading up at YouTube, the interview he had with KO and posting that up at KOS. It doesn't put food on the table but I do save a few duckets on book purchases, now to find the time to read them.

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 08:21:48 AM EST

: Forgot.... (5.00 / 2) (#6)

To include The Link to Listen to the Diane Rehm discussion with Dean in Realplayer.

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 08:23:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

A Great Interview, Thanks Jim (5.00 / 2) (#8)

Dean is quite impressive. I haven't read any of his book but now I guess I should.

He has some wonderful one-liners in this show, like Bush has created the "executive presidency on steriods." I like the way he dates the comeback to Reagan's presidency. Reagan put in the "unitary executive" by taking control of the regulatory agencies, as well as vectoring the government toward business.

Another of his comments I took down. The Bush crowd has turned "our mistakes [ie the Nixon period] into the norm. Nixon's methods are now no longer considered mistakes by the Republican party but they have become the cannon. The Bush administration "rules" but doesn't "govern."

He also picks up on the signing statements as a major device for eliminating the role of the legislature. I had not realized that Bush issued more signing statements by the end of his first term as all 42 presidents before him.

Dean is writing a new book on Barry Goldwater, whom he says now would be considered a liberal.

He definitely sees Cheney's role as decisive.

Very, very interesting. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

by carol white on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 11:47:38 AM EST

: Welcome (5.00 / 1) (#10)

And you hit the ones that caught me as well, been thinking similar as to the way he put it, but he's a much more apt speaker, thinker, and writer than me.
There were a few other points as well.
If he hadn't got caught up in that gang, and a gang they were, he really could have been something on the political front, if he thought and acted like he does now.
Making his mia- copa's, as he has these last years, he's decovered how to right the sins of his wrongs, my guess is he and his wife are feeling like much better human beings now in their later years.

by jimstaro on Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 03:55:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]