Pew Research: “In the spring of 1974, despite the indictment of top former White House aides, and Nixon’s release of what were seen as ‘heavily edited’transcripts of tapes of his aides plotting to get White House enemies, the public was still divided over what to do about the president. For example, by June, 44% in the Gallup Poll thought he should be removed from office, while 41% disagreed.”
“Only in early August, following the House Judiciary Committee’s recommendation in July that Nixon be impeached and the Supreme Court’s decision that he surrender his audio tapes, did a clear majority – 57% – come to the view that the president should be removed from office.”
More on the slow movement of public support for Nixon’s impeachment and removal from office…
A lot of key scandal events were to follow that year [1973] and into 1974, but public opinion about Watergate was slow to change further, despite the high drama of what was taking place. For example, October 1973 was a crucial month as the courts ruled that the president had to turn over his taped conversations to special prosecutor Archibald Cox, and subsequently Nixon ordered for the dismissal of Cox in what came to be known as the Saturday Night Massacre. The public reacted, but in a measured way. In November, Gallup showed the percentage of Americans thinking that the president should leave office jumping from 19% in June to 38%, but still, 51% did not support impeachment and an end to Nixon’s presidency.
In the spring of 1974, despite the indictment of top former White House aides, and Nixon’s release of what were seen as “heavily edited” transcripts of tapes of his aides plotting to get White House enemies, the public was still divided over what to do about the president. For example, by June, 44% in the Gallup Poll thought he should be removed from office, while 41% disagreed.
Only in early August, following the House Judiciary Committee’s recommendation in July that Nixon be impeached and the Supreme Court’s decision that he surrender his audio tapes, did a clear majority – 57% – come to the view that the president should be removed from office.
But once he was gone, the Americans were not quick to forgive and forget. In September, a 58% majority said Nixon should be tried for possible criminal charges. And they took the view that he should not be let off the hook easily, if found guilty. By a margin of 53% to 38%, the public thought that President Ford should not pardon Nixon, if he was found guilty….
Note…
Nixon was NOT impeached…
He quit….
Bill Clinton was impeached …
He did NOT quit…
image…CNN.Com
My Name Is Jack says
Both the Nixon and Clinton impeachment’s occurred in their second terms and in the middle thereof.
If Trump is impeached ,then the whole process will be occurring in the midst of a reelection campaign, a first.
There can be all sorts of speculation on how this could play out.
jamesb says
Which is why Pelosi and their dog isn’t excited about actually running a impeachment trial….
jamesb says
Republicans are ALL OVER the media this Sunday attacking the whistleblower…..
There talking points are about ‘leaks’….
They are also attacking the DNI AND the IG which is a continuation of Trump’s campaign to shitcan the American intelligence community….
My Name Is Jack says
Who is surprised?
jamesb says
Not THIS Dog!