The Role of Media and the Legacy of Watergate
Political Science Foundations: The Fourth Branch and Academic Paths
The Media as the Fourth Branch: While not an official constitutional entity, the media is considered the "fourth branch" of government because it organizes the relationship between governmental institutions (which make authoritative decisions) and the citizens.
Fields of Political Science: * International Politics: The study of relationships and interactions between sovereign states. * Comparative Politics: The study of the domestic political systems and internal politics of different countries. * Political Philosophy: A branch combining philosophy and political science to explore human nature and how people should coexist in political societies.
Academic Progression: * Introductory courses serve as prerequisites for -level classes, such as "Campaigns and Elections." * Political Science is a traditional liberal arts degree often used as a stepping stone to law school, though a specific major is not required for legal studies. * Internship programs, such as the Domestic Policy Internship, bridge the gap between academic theory and career placement.
The Three Primary Functions of Media
The Informing Function: * Media serves as the primary source of information for events people cannot witness directly (e.g., the Strait of Hormuz). * Mediated Experience: Most public knowledge of global affairs is filtered through third parties (journalists) rather than direct contact with leaders like the President or foreign officials. * Recommended Sources: The Associated Press (AP) is highlighted for its "old school" factual reporting. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal remain standard-bearers for informed citizenship. * Cost of Information: High-quality information is often accessible for free through institutional apps, contributing to the functioning of democracy at a low cost to the individual.
The Forum Function: * Media provides a platform for political actors to address the public directly, such as presidential debates. * Impact of Performance: The first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump is cited as a catastrophic event for the Biden campaign, leading to his withdrawal from the race within days and the subsequent nomination of Kamala Harris, who had approximately days to campaign. * The News Cycle: Donald Trump is identified as being particularly adept at commanding the "news cycle" through constant, open access to the press.
The Watchdog Function: * The press conducts deep investigations to hold politicians and government agencies accountable. * In the past, major newspapers (top or ) had the resources to fund six-month investigations, hire staff, and sue the government for documents to win prestigious awards like the Pulitzer Prize.
The Watergate Scandal: Richard Nixon’s Psychological and Political Background
Political Origins: Richard Nixon, much like modern figure J.D. Vance, was a World War II veteran who rose quickly in politics. After serving in Congress, he won a California Senate seat in the early s.
Vice Presidency: Chosen by Dwight D. Eisenhower to provide a young, Midwestern/Western balance to the ticket. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, largely relegated Nixon to state funerals and local fundraising, though Nixon built a massive grassroots support base.
The 1960 Election: Nixon faced John F. Kennedy. This was one of the first elections dominated by mass media. * The Television/Radio Paradox: Studies showed that people who listened to the debate on the radio believed Nixon won (substance), while those who watched on TV believed Kennedy won (image). * The Outcome: The election was historically close. Late counts in Texas (under Lyndon B. Johnson) and Illinois (under Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley) were controversial. Nixon chose not to contest the result for the good of the country, despite believing he may have won.
The 1962 Defeat: Nixon lost the California gubernatorial race and famously told the press, "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore."
The 1968 Comeback: Nixon ran as a "rested" and middle-aged candidate, taking advantage of a Democratic Party divided over the Vietnam War.
The Mechanics of Watergate and the Cover-Up
CREEP: The Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) was Nixon’s reelection organization, known for "dirty tricks" (e.g., ordering pizzas to Democratic headquarters).
The Break-In: In , members of the campaign broke into the Watergate complex to bug the office of a psychiatrist treating a high-level Democrat to find "dirt" on his mental health.
The Discovery: Amateur errors led a security guard to notice a loose door and call the police, who caught the burglars exiting the office.
The Fatal Mistake: Nixon committed the crime of "cover-up" by ordering his Chief of Staff to tell the CIA Director to instruct the FBI to stop the investigation on national security grounds (claiming Soviet involvement).
The Tapes: Nixon had a voice-activated recording system in the Oval Office. A signal corps army enlistee was tasked with managing the tapes in the White House basement.
Constitutional Crisis: The Supreme Court rejected Nixon’s claim of "executive privilege," forcing the release of the tapes to Congress.
The Transformation of Campaign Finance
1974 Federal Campaign Act: An attempt to limit individual contributions and corporate spending following the disclosure of secret money stacks (uncounted cash) in the Nixon campaign.
Soft Money Loophole: By the election, campaigns found they could take unlimited funds if the money went to political parties rather than candidates directly.
The Lincoln Bedroom Scandal: Under Bill Clinton, the Democratic Party raised at least by offering sleepovers at the White House to major donors.
McCain-Feingold (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002): A seven-year effort to ban soft money.
Citizens United v. FEC (2010): The Supreme Court ruled to that spending limits on corporations and unions violate the First Amendment. This gave rise to "Dark Money" and Super PACs.
Judicial Races: Outside groups like "Justice for All NC" (a P.O. box in Raleigh) now spend heavily on state Supreme Court races to influence the judiciary.
The Evolution and Crisis of Modern Journalism
The Woodward and Bernstein Model: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were young "crime beat" reporters for the Washington Post who used a high-level source known as "Deep Throat" (revealed decades later to be Mark Felt).
Journalistic Norms: The "two-source" rule was established to ensure credibility before publication.
Economic Collapse of Print: Traditionally, newspapers were funded by department store ads (e.g., Macy’s) and classifieds. These funds have been diverted to digital platforms like Google and Facebook, which the instructor labels as "parasites" for using news content without supporting journalists.
Legacy Media vs. Digital: * Legacy Media: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and major network news (ABC/CBS/NBC) still perform the primary investigative labor. * Regional Newspapers: Papers like the Staten Island Advance or Houston Chronicle survive through digital pivots, while others (like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) struggle.
Infotainment and Partisanship: * Conservative Radio: Pioneered by Rush Limbaugh. * Liberal Satire: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. * Cable News: MSNBC (left/cerebral), Fox News (conservative), and CNN (more news-oriented and international).
The Digital Divide and Misinformation
Digital Citizenship Statistics (2018 Data): * of Americans are digital citizens with high-speed access. * Only half of the working poor (earning less than ) have home broadband, compared to of those earning over . * of high school graduates have home broadband compared to of college graduates.
Foreign Interference: The FBI has identified "Russian and Chinese fingerprints" on misinformation campaigns designed to stir domestic dissent in the U.S.
The "Stubbornness" of Facts: Despite the rise of AI-generated content and "fake news," fundamental realities (e.g., the bankruptcy of Social Security, budget numbers, and climate change) eventually force a reckoning.
Questions & Discussion
Q: Where do students get their news? * Student Response: Instagram, Facebook Live, and local news sources like SIP (Staten Island People). * Observation: The decentralization of information means many niche programs exist, such as "This Week in Shipping," which features a former merchant marine discussing the logistics of the Strait of Hormuz.
Q: Should high-speed internet be a free utility? * Student Response: Yes, because education, banking, and government benefits (Social Security) are now managed almost entirely online. * Observation: Transitioning Social Security and youth employment programs (like the Department of Youth Services) to digital formats creates an access barrier for low-income residents and seniors.