I am enjoying all the worms involved in Watergate as they appear on the tube, beat their collective breasts and declare the "seriousness" of Watergate.
I was but a young and new voter during the era of Watergate. I was also very liberal, not that I'm proud of this fact.
Indeed I voted for George McGovern, another fact I'm not proud of.
I remember sitting in front of the TV on election night and really believing, really, really, really truly believing that McGovern would win. I thought that in the end the American public would see the truth as I saw it and surprise the pollsters.
Anyway, I was in a long term relationship with a fellow who was a conservative in the extreme. I remember putting a sticker on my car: "Don't blame me, I didn't vote for him."
Referring to Nixon of course.
My conservative boyfriend ripped the sticker off my car and screeched off from my house.
But even then I couldn't find much of nothing in Watergate, yes even in my overwhelming liberal zeal. Although at the time there were only three networks and I had only one newspaper, the Baltimore Sun a liberal rag, to consult.
Now, in this day of Rush and the Internet, I discover that I was right. At the time it all seemed a big brouhaha over nothing and now I realize that it was!
Although, again and ahem, I did take great pride that I hadn't voted for Nixon because hey, in those days it was all liberals had. I do remember thinking that well, even if what I read shows much of nothing there HAD to something more to it than a politician leaning on members of his administration to hide an investigation into one of the most inept breakins of all time.
I remember thinking that even if I can't find a big deal in it all, and yes I listened to the Watergate hearings, etc, that if it was enough to bring down a President then I would be smug via bumper stickers et al.
Now I realize I was right at the time but didn't trust myself because hey, the mighty WAPO said so and surely they know more than me.
Now, years later, with the scales having fallen from my eyes, I see the entire Watergate scandal for what it was.
A pathetic political witch hunt to bring down a Republican President for crimes far less than Kennedy and Johnson.
The entire matter changed the course of history and not for the better. Witness Jimmy Carter.
I'm bitter for having been fooled and I'm bitter that it's all a big pile of crap that changed lives because one haughty newspaper and two creepy reporters, helped by one sour FBI agent, created a scandal.
Also, and finally for I have waxed on enough, I lived through the crimes of Bill Clinton and this makes me very cynical.
Which is why all the breast-beating by the Watergate participants.
We've lived through Clinton and he was waaaaay worse than Nixon. Thus they are struggling to maintain and relive their relevance.
This ain't 1972 any more Dorothy.
I think that your feeling maybe much more common than we might think, at least I hope so.
I think that the timing of this is an attempt to refute the credibility problems that the media is experiencing. Is it working?
I lived through the crimes of Bill Clinton and this makes me very cynical.
...Which is why all the breast-beating by the Watergate participants.
We've lived through Clinton and he was waaaaay worse than Nixon. Thus they are struggling to maintain and relive their relevance.
This ain't 1972 any more Dorothy.
^^^^^^
Well put. Anyone who wants to pay any attention to the current kerfuffle over Watergate/Nixon/impeachment will have the message of the Clinton years as a fantastic "contrast and compare."
The net result: "Is that all there was?!"