Happy 35th Anniversary, Watergate Burglary!
It was 2: 30 a.m. on a Saturday -- June 17, 1972 -- that five burglars were arrested at the Watergate offices of the DNC. Later that day, hippie Carl Bernstein was working on the story -- but Republican naval intelligence spook and "rookie reporter" Bob Woodward was quickly assigned to "help."
Let's celebrate America's Favorite Birthday, after the jump.
The burglars worked directly for the Nixon White House, so it was only a matter of days before Congress impeached Nixon and restored democracy. Ha ha, just kidding. The national media totally ignored the story for another year, while Nixon was re-elected in a huge 47-state landslide victory. It would be more than two years after the Watergate break-in before Congress started the impeachment and Nixon finally resigned.
Also, Bernstein always hated Woodward -- "a prima donna, and an ass kisser, a navy guy." Oh, and Nixon was replaced by Gerald Ford, who elevated two minor Nixon staffers (Rumsfeld & Cheney) to Secretary of Defense and Chief of Staff. They fired CIA chief William Colbyand replaced him with George H.W. Bush -- Colby was later found dead in the Chesapeake after a "boating accident."
Watergate at 35: Shepard Explains How 'Woodstein' Did It [E&P]