Secrets of the Presidency: Nixon and the Journalist

When it comes to the American Presidency we are all aware that secrets are kept from the people. Secrets are often important. Important for National Security and generally for the safety of the people. Today, there are a lot of well known Presidential secrets that have come to light, most of which were extremely important for the betterment of the world. For example, we all know of the thirteen days in which the Cuban Missile Crisis was kept quiet. All in all that must go down in history as one of the most significant secrets kept by a President (if there is any wish for this topic to be covered please feel free to say so). Nevertheless, there are still secrets hidden from our history books, secrets that the people deserve to know.

With all of the investigations surrounding the current White House administration it is no wonder that we look back upon one of the most influential Presidents of his time, President Richard Nixon. The man who told the world that he was not a crook, while hiding the now infamous Watergate tapes, is now often looked at and quoted in regards to his impeachment, trial, and subsequent pardon. Yet, how many know of his other, more treacherous, links to crime?

Jack Anderson was an American Newspaper columnist who got on both President Reagan's and President Nixon's nerves. He has been credited for breaking the story of the Iran-Contra affair and the CIA's plot to assassinate Fidel Castro. He also covered Nixon's harassment of John Lennon (yes, they tried to deport the one and only John Lennon) and, not surprisingly, Anderson was on to something in thinking that there was something fishy in what would later become the Watergate scandal.

Anderson became a nuisance to Nixon and his men and, because of this, the plot to assassinate him began. Senior White House officials, CIA operatives, and two men who would disguise themselves as "plumbers" discussed the possibilities of drugging Anderson with LSD, poisoning his aspirin bottle, or even staging a fatal mugging. Thankfully, their plot was spoiled when the plotters were arrested for breaking into the Watergate hotel.

Anderson's Watergate suspicion's turned out not to be the reason as to why Nixon wanted him out of the picture. In fact, it turns out that Nixon blamed the reporter for his 1960 loss to President John F. Kennedy. Anderson had released a an election-eve story about a secret loan Howard Hughes had sent to Nixon's brother. Four years later Nixon's anger had not dissipated. The plot may not have worked in Nixon's favor (just as the break in at the DNC did not go in his favor either) but we can still learn some important lessons from the tale. Always keep in mind that not all Presidential secrets are meant for the good of the American people. Just as not all Presidents have the good of the people at the forefront of their mind.

~ The Northern Rose