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Watergate a slice of Baby Boomer history
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Watergate office complex
It's karma, really, that a movie about Richard Nixon and Watergate is about to debut at the same time as the death of Deep Throat, who helped expose the Watergate conspiracy in the first place.
The recent events bring to the forefront a slice of Baby Boomer politics and history.
Watergate is the general description for the series of events that started in June 1972 with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Nixon, the incumbent Republican president still embroiled in fighting the Vietnam War, was running for reelection against Democrat George McGovern, considered the peace candidate.
Nixon and many of his White House aides conspired to cover up the break-in. Two Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, uncovered much of the White House dirty tricks with the help of a source they called "Deep Throat." The source turned out to be FBI agent George Felt, who died last week at the age of 95. Until he revealed himself as the source in 2005 Deep Throat's identity was the best kept secret in Washington.
The movie, "Frost/Nixon" premieres on Christmas Day. Adapted from the stage, it explores the 1977 post-Watergate interview between British talk show host David Frost and Nixon, who resigned the presidency in 1974 because of Watergate. Many saw the interview, which exposed Nixon's belief that the president was above the law, as the trial that Nixon never received because he was pardoned for his Watergate crimes by Gerald Ford.
"Frost/Nixon" trailer:
Associated Press report on death of Mark Felt:
In a variety of ways, Watergate was a motivating factor for many Baby Boomers. Through Watergate they saw a government out of control. Many got involved in politics or public service. Some, this Examiner included, became reporters, motivated by the belief that, like Woodward and Bernstein, they change the world by reporting and writing.
A recent Washington Post blog post asks the compelling question: "Could we uncover Watergate today?"
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