Watergate scandal book reviews

[SFG75]

I don't know why I'm fascinated by a 35 year old scandal, but for some reason, I'm just hooked on reading everything. Perhaps it's because it featured some colorful names, among them-Bebe Rebozo. Say that ten times fast. At any rate, here's review #1

Leon Jaworski, The Right and The Power 3/5

Jaworski was the second prosecutor of the Watergate affair, after Archibald Cox was fired in the "midnight massacre" over Nixon's refusal to turn over crucial tapes. Jaworksi's book highlights how he was selected by Nixon and how he came to lead the investigation that led to Nixon's resignation. Jaworski writes with a lawyer's "just the facts" manner and points out some items the average person may not know about Watergate. The Nixon White House gave him full accomodation over any and all evidence that he wanted. The exception was the tapes of course, and when the court forced Nixon's hand, Nixon resigned. Interestingly enough, Jaworski hypothesized that Nixon kept the tapes as he thought it would make him rich one day. Had he destroyed the tapes during the early part of the cover up, he could'vefinished out his presidency. Why he didn't destroy them is one of the more interesting topics-given his predilection for secrecy and deviousness.

No many books provide you with the administration's viewpiont on matters, this one was refreshing in that it did. To them, the stealing of Ellsberg's psychiatric file was a matter of national security as he leaked the pentagon papers. How his past was a matter of ultimate nationl security wasn't explained, but that was the viewpoint. Nixon's legal appeal against Jaworski's appeal for the tapes was based on the notion that the special prosecutor's office was part of the executive branch as such, the branch can't sue itself(i.e.-the prosecutor suing the president for release of tapes) The court saw through that subterfuge and repudiated the notion of intra-executive lawsuits, let alone "national security" when the president attempted to use it to his advantage. The scandal also featured corporate scandal-with ITT paying $400,000 to the GOP convention in San Diego, so as to help an anti-trust lawsuit to disappear. I didn't know of the corporate essence of it as much before.

this book is a good read, it brought out some items that a lot of books leave out and on that basis alone, I give it 3/5.

Watergate book review #2- John Dean's Blind Ambition

 

[silverseason]

I don't know why I'm fascinated by a 35 year old scandal, but for some reason, I'm just hooked on reading everything. Perhaps it's because it featured some colorful names, among them-Bebe Rebozo.

Watergate is part of my past. I remember at the time of the hearings I was having dental work done which required several visits. The dentist, usually talkative, was hooked on the hearings. So I opened wide, he drilled, and we both listened to Alexander Butterfield tell us about the tapes.

I read Blind Ambition years ago and look forward to your review.

 

[SFG75]

Blind Ambition; John Dean

Thanks for the comments silverseason. I wasn't born yet when the investigation and subsequent resignation of President Nixon occured. I'm a big history buff and I think the testimony of the various people involved at that green draped table, is something that is etched in the minds of most Americans over the age of 30. I've been wanting to do an extensive reading of all the books on Watergate that I could get my hands on for quite some time now. I'm glad that I've started this project as I have more than a few of these books around.

Blind Ambition is John Dean's accounts of things and as far as I can tell, it's very accurate. His account lines up systematically with Jaworski's detailing of events in his book. Dean is generally acknowledged as remembering everything. In reading the book, you felt as if you were right in there with Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Dean conversing about how to pay off the "plumbers" that were arrested in the break in. Dean commented on clothing, moods, even how he strategized in a given meeting to get what he wanted, as well as being able to sense the moods of meeting participants Some people are like that, unfortunately for Nixon and the gang, it was Dean.

Dean clearly admits his guilt and doesn't justify it away by any means. He is open and up front about when he crossed the line from being "counsel" to the president and when he openly discussed the pay off money, as well as how to contain the problem. He even admitted to shredding documents. With certain other convicted Watergate criminals, you get a whiny "the democrats did it too!" logic, as if that excuses conspiracy to commit perjury, lying to a federal grand jury, not to mention destroying evidence.

I was amazed at how the cover up was working up to a certain point. Even when James McCord wrote the judge that money had been delivered for silence and that obstruction had occured, they pretty much had things under control. It wasn't until L. Patrick Gray up in front of the senate for his FBI confirmation hearing, that everything went downhill....fast. He could've been short and sweet about that matter, but he stated Dean probably didn't tell the truth about Watergate, and the rest is history. Had he kept tight lipped, the whole thing would've been dropped and the burglars would've served their time and gotten their money.

The intrigue in the book was intense as after awhile, a decision was made to blame the entire thing on Dean, eventhough it was clearly Ehrlichman, Haldeman, & Mitchell who played larger roles in the whole ordeal. The story line went like this-Dean was the mastermind of it and Nixon was oblivious. He asked Dean to investigate and when he realized that he erred in trusting Dean, Dean had to go. Nixon even handed Dean a pre-made resignation letter that essentially stated Dean was resigning because of his connections to Watergate. Wisely, Dean put it off and he was eventually fired by the White House.

I still have 80 pages left in the book. I'm to the part where Dean secretly meets with Sam Dash and an arrangement is being made for him to testify as to his rolein Watergate. This book is very good, it's fast paced and reads like a spy novel.
5/5-SUPERB!

Up next: Witness to Power by John Ehrlichman

This next book should be interesting as it's by one of the main architects of the Watergate plan. I can imagine what he thinks of Dean.

 

[ScottHughes]

Did anyone read The Secret Man by Bob Woodward? I liked it. It was more about Deep Throat than watergate, though.

 

[SFG75]

Did anyone read The Secret Man by Bob Woodward? I liked it. It was more about Deep Throat than watergate, though.

Still relevant-"deep throat" blew the whistle and prevented things from dying down. Now that we know it was former FBI #2 man Mark Felt, I can't help but laugh and shake my head when I read his name discussed in the other books. I ran across lines where the guilty parties openly suggest that Felt should be involved in some way like; ". . .should we have Gray and Felt handle this matter?" If they only knew. The book that you mentioned is one that I definitely want to read and to the list here. I'm currently trying to get H.R. Haldeman's book. I will then go to the Woodward/Felt collaboration which should be interesting. In the meantime, I have to finish Ehrlichman's book after a short break this weekend.

Any tidbits that you care to share? I like Woodward, I read his book about Bob Casey and the Reagan era CIA called Veil. The most memorable part of that book was when Casey was on life support and "beeped" twice to Woodward that Reagan was involved in Iran-Contra or something serious like that. He probably burped or something when Woodward asked the question.

 

[ScottHughes]

I can't think of anything especially memorable. Generally, I found it most interesting to see "Deep Throat" described as a normal person, with conflictions and worries just like all of us.

 

[SFG75]

Eyewitness to Power; Part I

Ehrlichman's Eyewitness to Power is very different from most of the other watergate books. Ehrlichman doesn't just cover watergate, but rather, the entire Nixon years. The book is divided into sections such as pre-presidential campaign, the courts, the cabinet, etc. I learned some interesting tidbits that I hadn't heart before. Pat Nixon was "tolerated" by Nixon and his staff. While she voiced her opinion, it wasn't very highly thought of. H.R. Haldeman and Mrs. Nixon had a cool, respectful relationship. I would bet they both tried to hold back on their animosity towards the other person for the sake of the president.

I didn't know that George Romney was fired by Nixon. Romney tried to bully his way into the White House to have meetings with Nixon. Ehrlichman doesn't have a lot of things to say about Mitt's dad that are positive. Future Reagan cabinet official George Schultz is praised in the book. I didn't know that he was a labor relations guru of sorts.

I didn't have to read far to get to a part about Dean being hated. Dean was kind of a playboy, notorious for dating and Ehrlichman paints him as a guy who would have a girlfriend on the government payroll for setting up events for him. He also claims that Dean lost his job in a private firm due to some shenanigans regarding money. Dean mentioned these allegations coming out in his book, though he didn't dwell on it for too long. It was mostly within the context of the trial and how the GOP senators tried to paint him as being the corrupt one.

Currently on page 120 of 420. I hope to make a big dent in the book tonight, section two review coming soon.

 

[SFG75]

Witness to Power final summary

Just wrapped up the book last night. Echoing a similar theme that I've heard before, Ehrlichman maintains that even years later, we really don't know the real reason why the watergate burglary was carried out. I've read G. Gordon Liddy's opinion that it was carried out to see if the Soviet Union and other malcontents were somehow donating money to McGovern and otehr democrats. I do not see that as being plausible, I would think they would know that would undermine their *favorite* candidate, if indeed, he would be one. Ehrlichman believes Dean and others have not stated the real reasons for it, though Dean said it was done due to spending irregularities on the part of the democrats. most specifically, buying booze and *entertainment* for boa parties.

Like Dean, Ehrlichman is straight forward about his guilt. He admits to knowing about the effort to break into Fielding's office, not to mention to pay off the burglars. Ehrlichman maintains in a round about way that Dean was the mastermind, who ended up selling out the others that he brought into the cover-up. The end of the book is most fascinating, with a section that covers a review Ehrlichman did of Haldeman's book. In it, a certai passage states that Ehrlichman is serving time for what Nixon said/did in regards to talking about the break in. Ehrlichman is one who passes off his imprisonment as a product of not knowing what Nixon said on the tapes, as well as being "sold out" by the likes of Dean.

There is an old saying about blindfolded people being asked to describe an elephant, and each person gives a different view. In reading Ehrlichman's book, it was fascinating to see the difference of opinion, strictly due to different levels of involvement. Ehrlichman believed the "Dean report" was an honest efffort to inform the president of the break in, while Dean maintains it was just created by the others to frame him to take the fall.

This book was more than just a watergate book, it was an entertaining book filled with many stories about Nixon the man, the candidate, and the president. Ehrlichman is straight forward about his guilt and doesn't hold on to some defiance about the whole thing that G. Gordon Liddy is famous for. An excellent reading.

Book rating-2.5/5

Up next: The Haldeman Diaries by H.R. Haldeman

 

[silverseason]

This book was more than just a watergate book, it was an entertaining book filled with many stories about Nixon the man, the candidate, and the president. Ehrlichman is straight forward about his guilt and doesn't hold on to some defiance about the whole thing that G. Gordon Liddy is famous for.

Keep these reviews coming - I enjoy them very much.

I am struck by your blog comments about those who were involved in and damaged by the entire Watergate affair and how they reacted afterwards. Clearly it was a strong blow, not only to their careers, but to their entire sense of themselves as good and competent individuals. Some reacted, as you point out, by seeking spiritual or religious support. Others, like Nixon, turned their energies to reconstructing their reputations.

Surely this tells us something about what mattered to them: the inside (self awareness and self esteem) or the outside (reputation). Nixon has always seemed to me to be a hollow man - intelligent, hard working, sensitive to what others thought of him - without any inner confidence or belief.