Check "Alger Hiss".
Nixon was involved in his prosecution/conviction.
Hiss may/may not have been a full-fledged communist, but the MSM/DS certainly loved his bones and went on a lifelong jihad against Nixon because of his conviction. (JMHO and maybe some others.)
Nixon Watergated himself. He was just a tad too paranoid.
Vet, you are dead on about Hiss and Nixon. The lefties went full jihad on Nixon about this, and have never let up.
Secondary to that (but not much) is Nixon’s association with Joe McCarthy.
So old Tricky Dick had a two-fer going against him way before he became president...so Watergate.
The Democrats never forgave Nixon for Alger Hiss or the Checkers speech.
Nixon was victimized in 1960. He should have been president, then again after Watergate.