Book Reviewed: Watergate: A New History by Garrett M. Graff

Crisis in Nixon Administration Numerous books have been written on the Watergate scandal, and the book “All the President’s Men” by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, is one of the key works in the literature. Since then, several books were written with the new information from different sources, mainly from declassified material from FBI and CIA Archives. This book by Garret Graff shed new light on a topic that we know. Drawing on the CIA’s recently declassified history of Watergate and previously unpublished documents, the author reassesses the role of Watergate burglars and the men behind the break-in, and how they implicated the CIA and the White House in two break-ins targeting Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist office, and the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee, ultimately leading to Nixon’s downfall. In this book, Watergate burglar James McCord’s letter to his Judge Sirica is described in detail and how it implicated others in Nixon Administration in the break-in. Nixon was directly involved in the entire operation using his staff at the White House, members of his cabinet, the CIA, FBI, IRS, DOJ, and the members of the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP). A key Nixon goal was to limit the Watergate investigation to the break-in alone, making it appear to be the dirty tricks of the burglars. Nixon did not want any enemy testifying against him or his closest allies. The book describes every campaign-trail dirty tricks, possible hostage situations, and questionable fundraising efforts. The book also gives the personal side of President Nixon who appears as a highly antisemitic goof masquerading as the President. His demeanor is wicked and his attitude towards political dissidents is that of Mafia boss. This is an exhaustive volume of 832 pages which makes an interesting read for anyone interested in American History, Nixon Administration, and the Watergate scandal.