I Know You Are But What Am I?
On this day November 17th in 1973, 37 years ago today, Richard Nixon, a President under attack, spoke to 400 managing editors of the Associated Press in Orlando, Florida. It was at that gathering that Nixon uttered his famous phrase "I'm not a crook!" This occurred less than a month after the October 20th "Saturday Night Massacre" when Nixon's Attorney-General and Deputy Attorney General resigned after refusing to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.
In May, Attorney General Elliott Richardson had appointed Cox after having promised the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would appoint an independent counsel to investigate the events surrounding the Watergate break-in of June 17, 1972. Cox had issued a subpoena to President Nixon, asking for copies of taped conversations recorded in the Oval Office. Nixon refused to comply with the subpoena, but on October 19, 1973, he offered what was became known as the Stennis Compromise, that is he consented to letting Senator John C. Stennis review and summarize the tapes for Cox. The amusing part was that everyone knew that Stennis was deaf as a post.
Cox refused the compromise and Nixon's response was to fire Cox the next night, a Saturday. He contacted Attorney General Richardson and ordered him to fire the special prosecutor. Richardson refused, and resigned in protest. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus to fire Cox. Ruckelshaus also refused and resigned in protest. Next on Nixon's list was Solicitor General, Robert Bork. Nixon ordered Bork, as acting head of the Justice Department, to fire Cox. Bork followed Nixon's orders.
Resolutions of impeachment against Nixon were introduced in Congress. Nixon held his press conference in Orlando to defend his actions. He said "[I]n all of my years of public life, I have never obstructed justice. And I think, too, that I can say that in my years of public life that I've welcomed this kind of examination, because people have got to know whether or not their President's a crook. Well, I'm not a crook! I've earned everything I've got."
Following is a YouTube video of Nixon making those remarks:
It's too bad Nixon never ran for office again, I can think of a great slogan for his next campaign:
"Dick Nixon never stole a dime in his life. All he wants is a chance!"
In May, Attorney General Elliott Richardson had appointed Cox after having promised the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would appoint an independent counsel to investigate the events surrounding the Watergate break-in of June 17, 1972. Cox had issued a subpoena to President Nixon, asking for copies of taped conversations recorded in the Oval Office. Nixon refused to comply with the subpoena, but on October 19, 1973, he offered what was became known as the Stennis Compromise, that is he consented to letting Senator John C. Stennis review and summarize the tapes for Cox. The amusing part was that everyone knew that Stennis was deaf as a post.
Cox refused the compromise and Nixon's response was to fire Cox the next night, a Saturday. He contacted Attorney General Richardson and ordered him to fire the special prosecutor. Richardson refused, and resigned in protest. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General Ruckelshaus to fire Cox. Ruckelshaus also refused and resigned in protest. Next on Nixon's list was Solicitor General, Robert Bork. Nixon ordered Bork, as acting head of the Justice Department, to fire Cox. Bork followed Nixon's orders.
Resolutions of impeachment against Nixon were introduced in Congress. Nixon held his press conference in Orlando to defend his actions. He said "[I]n all of my years of public life, I have never obstructed justice. And I think, too, that I can say that in my years of public life that I've welcomed this kind of examination, because people have got to know whether or not their President's a crook. Well, I'm not a crook! I've earned everything I've got."
Following is a YouTube video of Nixon making those remarks:
It's too bad Nixon never ran for office again, I can think of a great slogan for his next campaign:
"Dick Nixon never stole a dime in his life. All he wants is a chance!"