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Book No. – 52 (History)
Book Name – Modern World History (Norman Lowe)
What’s Inside the Chapter? (After Subscription)
1. INTRODUCTION
2. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS 1952-72
3. WATERGATE AND ITS AFTERMATH
4. THE CARTER PRESIDENCY
5. THE EMERGENCE OF THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
5.1. The busing programme
5.2. African Americans in 1980s and 1990s
6. THE 1980S-THE SHIFT TO THE RIGHT
7. PRESIDENT GEORGE H. W. BUSH 1989-92
8. THE CLINTON YEARS
8.1. The presidential election of 1992
8.2. The Clinton campaign
8.3. Shortcomings in the Bush campaign
8.4. Analysis of the 1992 election
8.5. President Clinton in the White House
8.6. The presidential election of 1996: Clinton v. Dole
8.7. The Lewinsky scandal – 1998
8.8. Impeachment
8.9. Clinton’s economic record
9. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2000
10. GEORGE W. BUSH’S FIRST TERM (2001-5)
11. GEORGE W. BUSH’S SECOND TERM (2005-8)
12. BARACK OBAMA (2009-13)
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Opportunity and challenge of USA
Chapter – 25
Table of Contents
- The period from 1968–2012 saw dramatic changes in the fortunes of the presidency and the well-being of the United States.
- The power amassed by Nixon (1969–74) led to the term ‘the imperial presidency’ as his presidency seemed to reach new heights of power.
- Nixon’s second term was marked by the Watergate scandal, which significantly weakened the authority of the presidency.
- After Nixon’s resignation in August 1974, Ford (1974–77) and Carter (1977–81) presided over periods when the prestige of the United States appeared diminished both at home and abroad.
- In the 1980s and 1990s, Presidents Reagan (1981–89) and Clinton (1993–2001) led the country through periods of economic well-being and confident political leadership, suggesting a bright future.
- Reagan and Clinton were able to secure second terms, generally an indicator of success, but both were dogged by scandals in their second terms.
- Racial inequality and poverty remained monumental challenges for leaders of both parties.
- The conduct of foreign policy significantly influenced the success or failure of American Presidents during this period.
- Nixon’s involvement in the Vietnam War proved hugely damaging, with peace secured in 1973 but at great cost to both American casualties and the Vietnamese people.
- Presidents like Carter, Reagan, and Clinton faced risks with intervention in foreign affairs, where lost troops had a devastating impact on the American public.
- George H. W. Bush (1989–93) launched a successful military campaign to repel Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, which boosted his popularity.
- However, a recession in the lead-up to the 1992 election caused Bush’s popularity to collapse, leading to the election of Bill Clinton.
- Clinton faced a scandal involving his affair with Monica Lewinsky, leading to an impeachment process in his second term, highlighting the increasing polarization between political parties.
- The 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was marked by a Supreme Court intervention, undermining public confidence in the election process and deepening tensions between Republicans and Democrats.
- In 2001, during the early presidency of George W. Bush (2001–9), the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the United States, leading to the ‘War on Terror’ with campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Bush’s second term faced further challenges, including his ineffective response to Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the 2008 financial crisis, the largest since the Great Depression.
- The 2008 crisis paved the way for the election of Barack Obama (2009–17), the first African-American President.
INTRODUCTION
- Richard Nixon probably desired the power of the presidency more than anyone but experienced immense traumaupon reaching the White House.
- Nixon was willing to abuse power, sanction criminality, and encourage obstruction of justice.
- An ‘imperial presidency’ emerged, with immense power concentrated in the hands of the President and his closest aides.
- Nixon’s ability and work ethic were undeniable, having been elected to the House, Senate, and twice to the Vice Presidency by his early forties.
- His obsessive nature led to a darker side to his presidency, including illegal wiretapping, break-ins, and cover-ups.
- Born in Yorba Linda, California in 1913, Nixon’s rise was shaped by three factors:
- Military service was crucial to Nixon’s career, with a strong impact on his development.
- The Cold War helped Nixon exploit the mood of McCarthyism, using it to define his opponents and advance his own career.
- The trial of Alger Hiss in 1948 brought Nixon to national attention.
- Alger Hiss, an Ivy League-educated diplomat, was accused of passing sensitive material to the Russians, which captivated the nation.
- Nixon’s desperation for a guilty verdict divided public opinion:
- To some, he was tenacious and deeply patriotic.
- To the liberal left, Nixon was viewed as an unprincipled and malicious demagogue, earning the nickname ‘tricky Dick’.
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS 1952–72
- Richard Nixon was highly regarded as the best politician of his time, articulating the mood of post-World War IIAmerica.
- By age 43, Nixon had been elected to the House, Senate, and twice to the Vice Presidency of the United States.
- Against the backdrop of Korea and McCarthyism, the Eisenhower-Nixon ticket cruised to an emphatic victory, winning all but nine states.
- Nixon’s time as Vice President gave him vital experience for his future career.
- In 1960, Nixon lost narrowly to John F. Kennedy, attributing the loss to the ‘dirty tricks’ of the Kennedy campaign.
- Nixon shifted focus to the California gubernatorial election of 1962, a highly important prize, but suffered another devastating defeat.
- In 1964, Barry Goldwater lost in a landslide to Lyndon B. Johnson. Goldwater’s extreme positions led to his poor campaign.
- Nixon was positioned as a moderate candidate to lead the Republicans back from political wilderness.
- In 1968, facing criticism over the Vietnam War, President Johnson announced he wouldn’t stand for re-election.
- Nixon selected Spiro Agnew as his running mate and faced George Wallace (pro-segregation) in the election.
- Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy fought a tight contest for the Democratic nomination, with Kennedy winning the California primary in June 1968.
- Sirhan Sirhan, an Arab nationalist, assassinated Robert Kennedy on the same day.
- James T. Patterson observed that Kennedy’s death devastated liberal forces and those hoping to heal the nation.
- After Kennedy’s death, McCarthy failed to gain support, and Hubert Humphrey emerged as the Democratic candidate.
- The 1968 election was extremely close, with both candidates receiving over 31 million popular votes.
- The electoral college gave Nixon 301 votes and Humphrey 191 votes. Nixon’s narrow victory made him determined to secure a second term.
- Nixon entered the White House opposed to drug abuse, sexual permissiveness, and advocated for law and order and American values.
- He rejected the Great Society and big-government programs, calling for a return to self-help and local control.
- Nixon sought to dismantle Johnson’s social welfare programs and vetoed liberal initiatives in areas like health and education.
- The costs of the Great Society, coupled with rising unemployment, inflation, and overseas competition, made it difficult for Nixon to restore prosperity.
- By 1972, Nixon entered the election year with a dismal economic record, including the doubling of unemployment.
- Despite economic concerns, Nixon was confident that the public mood was not ready to return to the Democrats.
- George Wallace was shot and paralyzed during the 1972 election campaign, opening the door for George McGovern, a liberal candidate.
- McGovern’s tax and welfare proposals failed to resonate, and his comment about being willing to ‘crawl to Hanoi’for peace in Vietnam further damaged his campaign.
- The Nixon-Agnew ticket won a landslide, with over 60% of the popular vote, 520 electoral votes, and victory in 49 states.