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Probably including Watergate which I believe was the inspiration for that quote. The underlying act was probably survivable. The coverup was not.

Kon-Peki 3y ago
It’s worth mentioning that the Watergate coverup eventually failed because of a plane crash and the events set in motion due to it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Air_Lines_Flight_553 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Air_Lines_Flight_553
- ceejayoz 3y ago
  Your link says that’s a conspiracy theory?
- anatnom 3y ago
  Woodward and Bernstein were already investigating (for many months prior to the crash), and Nixon's later coverups (after March 1973) don't seem to be connected to the crash in any way. Perhaps if the crash hadn't happened, the people/money on board could have ensured McCord (and the other plumbers) would have stayed quiet instead of telling Judge Sirica that it was a White House operation. Without some significant evidence of intent for the passengers, though, this is a pretty soft argument.
  - Kon-Peki 3y ago
    I guess. WaPo thinks it was pretty significant: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/12/08/dorothy-hunt-united-crash-watergate/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/12/08/dorothy-hu... > What’s clear, though, is the influence the crash had on the arc of the Watergate scandal. It was a crucial turning point. Howard Hunt, worried his children would be orphans if he spent years in prison, asked his lawyer to meet with Colson and request a pardon from Nixon after a year of incarceration if Hunt would plead guilty and avoid trial. > Colson spoke with Nixon, as recorded in White House tapes. Nixon agreed to the clemency proposal. > Four other Watergate defendants, Cuban Americans from Miami whom Howard Hunt had brought to the burglary operation, took this as a cue that they’d be pardoned, too, and also pleaded guilty.
jjoonathan 3y ago
Nixon didn't know that the evidence tying him to the Chennault Affair was weak. If it was weak, he could play the "I didn't know" card. If it was strong, he would have had to play the much worse "It wasn't illegal" card. These are mutually exclusive, so conducting a criminal operation to get a peak at the evidence was a rational gamble. It didn't pay off, but no, just chilling was not a good option and no, the underlying act was not the lesser evil.

Kon-Peki 3y ago

It’s worth mentioning that the Watergate coverup eventually failed because of a plane crash and the events set in motion due to it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Air_Lines_Flight_553 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Air_Lines_Flight_553

ceejayoz 3y ago
Your link says that’s a conspiracy theory?
anatnom 3y ago
Woodward and Bernstein were already investigating (for many months prior to the crash), and Nixon's later coverups (after March 1973) don't seem to be connected to the crash in any way. Perhaps if the crash hadn't happened, the people/money on board could have ensured McCord (and the other plumbers) would have stayed quiet instead of telling Judge Sirica that it was a White House operation. Without some significant evidence of intent for the passengers, though, this is a pretty soft argument.
- Kon-Peki 3y ago
  I guess. WaPo thinks it was pretty significant: https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/12/08/dorothy-hunt-united-crash-watergate/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2022/12/08/dorothy-hu... > What’s clear, though, is the influence the crash had on the arc of the Watergate scandal. It was a crucial turning point. Howard Hunt, worried his children would be orphans if he spent years in prison, asked his lawyer to meet with Colson and request a pardon from Nixon after a year of incarceration if Hunt would plead guilty and avoid trial. > Colson spoke with Nixon, as recorded in White House tapes. Nixon agreed to the clemency proposal. > Four other Watergate defendants, Cuban Americans from Miami whom Howard Hunt had brought to the burglary operation, took this as a cue that they’d be pardoned, too, and also pleaded guilty.

jjoonathan 3y ago

Nixon didn't know that the evidence tying him to the Chennault Affair was weak. If it was weak, he could play the "I didn't know" card. If it was strong, he would have had to play the much worse "It wasn't illegal" card. These are mutually exclusive, so conducting a criminal operation to get a peak at the evidence was a rational gamble. It didn't pay off, but no, just chilling was not a good option and no, the underlying act was not the lesser evil.