Nixon.
Don't forget
In 1968 Nixon promised to get America out of Vietnam
1968 was also years before any Watergate scandal
The character traits that led to Watergate remain. Are you saying that one should vote against him in 1972 based on that same logic?
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No, I am not.
I would have voted for Nixon in 1968, and would have voted for him again in 1972.
True, he likely had these character traits to which you refer for most of his life.
However, Watergate aside, Nixon was one of the most prepared and capable individuals ever to have assumed the office of President. Unfortunately, he let his dark side dictate for the most part.
As for Watergate, it still was not widely known or acknowledged even during the election of 1972. As well, the extent to which Nixon had or would subvert the Presidency and the constitution was not known at the time of the 1972 election.
Also, his opponent, George McGovern, was a leftist ideologue, far removed from the mainstream American voter.
And Nixon was still in the process of withdrawing all U.S. troops from Vietnam.
So voting for Nixon in 1972 for those who voted for him in 1968 was perfectly logical to most American voters, as well as attracting millions of voters who did not support him in 1968.
We, today, have the benefit of hindsight. If you want to retroactively vote for Nixon, go ahead, but saying Watergate (the least of Dick’s crimes) was years away means nothing.
I do not understand your point at all.
In 1972, voters had no hindsight regarding Watergate.
The first election where voters had any hindsight about Watergate was 1976.
Therefore, American voters overwhelmingly re-elected Nixon in 1972.
True, we today have hindsight about Watergate, however, in 1972, we did not.
That is simply a fact.
If you are asking if I could look into a crystal ball in 1972 and see the whole sordid Watergate scandal unfold, and the subversion of the constitution by Nixon, then no, I would not have voted for Nixon in 1972 in that case.
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