Trump vs. Nixon: The difference between 2019's impeachment and Watergate is shame

[babylonsister]

Suzanne Garment Trump vs. Nixon: The difference between 2019's impeachment and Watergate is shame
Nixon, a canny political analyst, knew the jig was up. But Trump will do almost anything to avoid acknowledging defeat.
Dec. 24, 2019, 8:32 AM EST
By Suzanne Garment, author of “Scandal: The Culture of Mistrust in American Politics”


Poor Richard. When we think of President Richard M. Nixon during Watergate, many people picture an irrational and pitiable figure — drinking too much, wandering the halls of the White House, talking to the paintings on the walls, trapped in a crisis created by his crazed resentments.

That isn’t the whole of it, though. This was a man who, by the time of Watergate, had been in national public life for more than 30 years. He had served as a congressman, a senator and then vice president for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nixon was a skilled lawyer who had argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and survived political crises both public and personal. He knew the powers and limitations of each piece of the U.S. government — including his own.

Nixon was a skilled lawyer who knew the powers and limitations of each piece of the U.S. government — including his own.

Toward Watergate’s end, Nixon took stock of his situation in light of his deep experience and educated judgment — and, in a farsighted move, resigned the presidency before the U.S. House of Representatives could impeach him. Nixon, in other words, knew when the jig was up.

Today, it’s Donald Trump who’s enmeshed in a presidential scandal. It’s hard to imagine a man whose political experience and temperament are less like Nixon’s. Nixon had a lifetime in politics; Trump never held a political office before the presidency. Nixon, at least in public, spoke and wrote in the measured tones of an accomplished government official; Trump — well, we know how Trump expresses himself. Nixon was a subtle strategic thinker; Trump’s signature skill, as his wife Melania has said, is to "punch back 10 times harder."

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https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-vs-nixon-difference-between-2019-s-impeachment-watergate-shame-ncna1106586?fbclid=IwAR1nROvdoWVSQrebe38-vQ5T05_zIxGbLNxovvHauPQ9YWGIHRinenxkZ3g

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. other significant differences: a RW media propaganda machine and billionaires

Nixon's Republican party was just beginning to tailor government policy, regulations and laws to feed an oligarchy of donors. The media conglomeration and the right-wing propaganda machine was just beginning.

[phleshdef]

2. Trump vs Nixon: The difference between the 2 is that Nixon was not a fucking moron

Nixon had corrupt leanings. Nixon was often cold and racist in private. Nixon definitely went on a power trip.

Nixon also snuck out in the middle of the night with 2 Secret Service members to sit and talk to Vietnam war protestors. He signed the damn bills that led to stuff like OSHA and the EPA. He had a semi-decent healthcare plan for that era and had it been passed, I think we would've evolved into true universal healthcare by now.

Nixon was a complicated person. He was still an asshole on a personal level but a complicated asshole. He was capable of critical thought.

There is nothing complicated about Donald Trump. I can't think of a single thing to say about him that is remotely redeeming. And he is a simpleton who got by on his inherited wealth,family name and a penchant for turning that into the makings of tabloid royalty which ultimately led him to hosting a shitty, scripted "reality show".

[at140]

3. Trump comes across as a simpleton, but

that is a well rehearsed acting job. Look at majority of his base. It is mostly NON-College-educated.
He attracts them by pretending he is just like them. A simpleton could never defeat 15 experienced life-long politicians in a hotly contested porimary. A simpleton could never hold 100 rallies with 10k people and keep them cheering for hour and a half. Do not under-estimate this dude. While most republican leaders were against him when he ran in the primaries, Trump now owns the republicans lock stock and barrel. A simpleton can never become a cult leader and last 3 years in power. Even Romney is going to vote for no removal in the senate trial.

[Caliman73]

6. There is a difference between underestimating, and understanding that Trump is not very intelligent.

He does have a level of intelligence in the sense that he is able to know what people want to hear. A simpleton could actually have beaten 10 lifelong politicians easily given the mood of the Republican party. Trump won the election with 27% of the population using voter suppression schemes laid out by the Republican Party, dirty tricks from his campaign staff, and help from Russian meddling in the election.

The reason why Trump won is the same reason that Reality Shows beat sophisticated television series in ratings, the reason that WWE is one of the higher rated events on television.

You maybe don't remember but 10's of thousands or more people used to don the KKK robes and hoods and march into Washington DC and all over the country.

10's of thousands of people go to mega churches on the weekend and are entertained for hours and give their rent money to people who need that second private jet to spread the word of god. People who want to be lead will be lead by people who are amoral enough to take advantage of that.

I will say that Trump is not a simpleton but he is not a politically savvy person or an intelligent person by any stretch. If it weren't for his family's wealth, he would be NOTHING.

[at140]

7. Of course he is a political doofus

Because he has zero previous experience in political office. His experience is strictly dictatorial CEO of a business. So yes, his talking skills are not anything like career politicians who survives by making smooth speeches.

[BigmanPigman]

4. No Fux Ruse brainwashing 24/7...big difference!

[Hekate]

5. Red Don is incapable of feeling shame. And he is an idiot.

It really takes some doing to make Nixon look good.

[Stuart G]

8. Thank You for posting this. Really shows the differences between these 2 people.

[secondwind]

9. And Clinton was contrite.....