I had the opportunity to have dinner with Daniel Ellsberg at Yale circa 1977 and he was the most fiercely intelligent person I’ve ever met. And I’ve encountered a lot of intelligent people. Asha, the events in Dean’s book played out when I was in high school, and the news reports were riveting. Nixon resigned shortly before I entered college. Thanks for recommending Dean’s book.
People of my generation were glued to the TV. The reporting was outstanding. I’ll never forget when Eric Sevareid quoted Emerson in response to some of the perps: “Gentlemen, what you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say…’
Great essay. I graduated from college in ‘74! 🤦🏼♀️
Eric Sevareid was a class act. There were so many great journalists then, and they still are, but television news is not what it used to be. There are exceptions, of course.
The fragmentation into cable hurt TV news a lot. Have to say, though, that there are many more female journalists and journalists of color now than there were in the Watergate era, and that's a plus.
Carole Simpson was the first black woman to anchor a prime time broadcast: ABC World News Tonight in the 80’s; she moderated a Presidential debate as well. I thought she was outstanding!
This is a fascinating bit of history. As an adolescent, I got the Watergate news as the WaPo chose/dared to disclose it. Yesterday, I proudly watched my goddaughter and her classmates graduate from Duke Law School. I prayed for each of them and for the democracy that will be shaped by their courage and ethics.
The thought occurred to me yesterday that you want an administration that is too boring to leak about. If leaks happen, there is a reason. If there is no reason, there are no leaks.
Nice article, and thanks. In 1974, I was a sophomore in high school. My girlfriend and I, along with a whole church camp full of kids, listened to Nixon’s resignation speech while sitting on the beach in complete silence. We were stunned. We were also liberal, so we had a square dance that night.
Asha, I lived through those Vietnam & Watergate years. I took that stand, when my draft board refused my application for Conscientious Objector status, my draft board consisting of four World War II vets who spoke to me contemptuously, and concluded my examination after asking me what I would do if a Nazi soldier was raping my wife, by then asking me what I would do if I were to be drafted. I responded to the four of them--who were leering at me as they thought they had put me on the spot. I answered that my wife and I had discussed what I might do ... and it was to go to prison or to go to Canada; we had not decided which, but I was not going into the army to fight their stupid war. I never heard from them again, dropped out of law school, which I later completed elsewhere. Draft- and war-resistance was something many of us did in 1971, finally resulting in the war's awful end, after Nixon lied and burgled and lied some more ... and finally left in disgrace and dismay. And we, the anti-war, anti-draft kids-at-the-time ... we went on with distorted lives that our country gave us, those--that is--those who had not been killed or maimed by the war our elders--our "betters"--gave us in our period of growing up through our high school and college years. The words you quoted in your piece--"It is hard to convince myself that the real cost to my freedom comes in overlooking such opportunities for civil disobedience."--reflects what many of us faced in those days. I've told you how I handled the questions, the issues. I decided, and declared, that I would not overlook such opportunities for civil disobedience. I found it wasn't hard to make the choice or to declare it, although it was, in fact, a hard choice. We all had hard choices to make in those days, as we have now.
Asha, some of the best advice I happened to see once is "You are who the six people you associate with most." I think about that with raising children, in that you don't want them to "fall in with the wrong group." It's the tribe thing that is going on today where people of course have the natural need to feel a sense of community, so they bend somewhat to the overall mood, outlook, perspective, etc. of the group. We can all have our opinions, but go too far outside the perimeter or you are on your own, seeking a new tribe to protect you as part of a herd. Well, Trump Inc. must rank as the most rotted, toxic, dangerous, evil, unethical, amoral / immoral entities in history. You associate with it, the only way to stay is to bend completely on anything you may have stood for. I've been well aware of his phoney (a word he likes to use to project onto others) promises and bluster for decades, and of course, like many, didn't take this stumblebum seriously, to my peril. I remember the day he rode down the escalator, pretty much scoffed, and remember telling a shopkeeper of what I considered "news", but unfortunately really was news. His response, "Must have a book to sell." My point, and I do have one, is that people fell for the actor / character's schtick, and as his power snowballed, more and more people, including doubters like Cruz and Rubio, hooked their wagons to his runaway freight-train that they saw as an express to success. But this ragtag group he has assembled in 2.0 are each incompetent, as they will hold allegiance to the Dear Leader. And of course the fish rots from the head down, with this just being the most incompentent and disgraceful den of thieves and accomplices that have ever reigned. It's Genghis Khan in an expensive suit that Brioni doesn't want to be associated with because of his insistence on wearing a well-made potato sack cut from the finest material that (your) money can buy. They rape (metaphorically, though maybe literally too) and pillage, running roughshod over us with a 21st Century counterpart of the Supreme Court and Red State governors metaphorically decapitating anyone who doesn't support them. If I was taking job applications and reviewing CVs for six positions to fill the roles of friends / family, I would automatically disqualify anyone with the name "Trump" listed as a reference or previous employer. I subscribe to the Air Force advertising line once was, "Aim Higher" as a personal mantra; not a fan of the limbo dance as people seem to make a game of trying to compete to see how low they can go.
Wow. Thank you. This was great. You shared so much. But doesn’t it seem like he’s learned from his boss? Very similar to the other guy. Get rid of all the truth tellers. And more concerned about himself than the good for others. I’ve heard that one before. Lol. Great job. You really broke it down perfectly.
Right after he was released from prison G. Gordon Liddy was booked as a speaker at University of Puget Sound where I was chief. We got massive death threats so I put together a team of officers, including myself, for his security for which the college was on the hook for four days. So I spent four days with Liddy, including interviews at local radio stations, TV stations, dinner out with student council and meals that were just Liddy and my team. He spoke openly and honestly. As a one time prosecutor he was very comfortable with a group of cops.
Over dinner I asked him why take the risk when there wasn’t a chance in Hell McGovern could win? He said at the time they believed Ted Kennedy would be the opponent. He also seriously thought team Nixon was going to have him killed before he ever went to trial. Bat shit craziness all around.
The things that stuck in my mind were two. First, that he got up at 5 am every day and started the day with a hundred situps and a hundred pushups. The other thing was the ten year old boy that approached us outside Seattle TV station KIRO to ask Liddy to sign his copy of “Will.” Like Liddy was a baseball hero.
A film, "Yes Sir, No Sir" was made by veterans who came to oppose the Vietnam war, and documents the broad base of disobedience. The film makers say that a key turning point was when a squad of bombers returned to the base with _all_ of their bombs on board. They assert this act sent a message that the Rand corporation could not ignore. The US would lose the war. Have you noticed an incident that caused apprehension or 'turning" in Ellsberg's accounts?
I had the opportunity to have dinner with Daniel Ellsberg at Yale circa 1977 and he was the most fiercely intelligent person I’ve ever met. And I’ve encountered a lot of intelligent people. Asha, the events in Dean’s book played out when I was in high school, and the news reports were riveting. Nixon resigned shortly before I entered college. Thanks for recommending Dean’s book.
A great read to start the day and a good reminder that while big acts of courage have a big impact, small acts also can influence the world.
People of my generation were glued to the TV. The reporting was outstanding. I’ll never forget when Eric Sevareid quoted Emerson in response to some of the perps: “Gentlemen, what you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say…’
Great essay. I graduated from college in ‘74! 🤦🏼♀️
Great quote, and from a news reporter! How sad it is that such a statement is not gonna happen with this criminal enterprise.
Eric Sevareid was a class act. There were so many great journalists then, and they still are, but television news is not what it used to be. There are exceptions, of course.
The fragmentation into cable hurt TV news a lot. Have to say, though, that there are many more female journalists and journalists of color now than there were in the Watergate era, and that's a plus.
Carole Simpson was the first black woman to anchor a prime time broadcast: ABC World News Tonight in the 80’s; she moderated a Presidential debate as well. I thought she was outstanding!
Thank you A. R. Timely and most worthwhile and thoughtful commentary - you are right on about what is needed, again, in our country.
Thank you for doing the important work of keeping us informed / reminded, Asha.
Inspirational history lesson!
This is a fascinating bit of history. As an adolescent, I got the Watergate news as the WaPo chose/dared to disclose it. Yesterday, I proudly watched my goddaughter and her classmates graduate from Duke Law School. I prayed for each of them and for the democracy that will be shaped by their courage and ethics.
The thought occurred to me yesterday that you want an administration that is too boring to leak about. If leaks happen, there is a reason. If there is no reason, there are no leaks.
Nice article, and thanks. In 1974, I was a sophomore in high school. My girlfriend and I, along with a whole church camp full of kids, listened to Nixon’s resignation speech while sitting on the beach in complete silence. We were stunned. We were also liberal, so we had a square dance that night.
Love the admirable letters.
Asha, I lived through those Vietnam & Watergate years. I took that stand, when my draft board refused my application for Conscientious Objector status, my draft board consisting of four World War II vets who spoke to me contemptuously, and concluded my examination after asking me what I would do if a Nazi soldier was raping my wife, by then asking me what I would do if I were to be drafted. I responded to the four of them--who were leering at me as they thought they had put me on the spot. I answered that my wife and I had discussed what I might do ... and it was to go to prison or to go to Canada; we had not decided which, but I was not going into the army to fight their stupid war. I never heard from them again, dropped out of law school, which I later completed elsewhere. Draft- and war-resistance was something many of us did in 1971, finally resulting in the war's awful end, after Nixon lied and burgled and lied some more ... and finally left in disgrace and dismay. And we, the anti-war, anti-draft kids-at-the-time ... we went on with distorted lives that our country gave us, those--that is--those who had not been killed or maimed by the war our elders--our "betters"--gave us in our period of growing up through our high school and college years. The words you quoted in your piece--"It is hard to convince myself that the real cost to my freedom comes in overlooking such opportunities for civil disobedience."--reflects what many of us faced in those days. I've told you how I handled the questions, the issues. I decided, and declared, that I would not overlook such opportunities for civil disobedience. I found it wasn't hard to make the choice or to declare it, although it was, in fact, a hard choice. We all had hard choices to make in those days, as we have now.
Thank you for sharing your story, Rick!
Asha, some of the best advice I happened to see once is "You are who the six people you associate with most." I think about that with raising children, in that you don't want them to "fall in with the wrong group." It's the tribe thing that is going on today where people of course have the natural need to feel a sense of community, so they bend somewhat to the overall mood, outlook, perspective, etc. of the group. We can all have our opinions, but go too far outside the perimeter or you are on your own, seeking a new tribe to protect you as part of a herd. Well, Trump Inc. must rank as the most rotted, toxic, dangerous, evil, unethical, amoral / immoral entities in history. You associate with it, the only way to stay is to bend completely on anything you may have stood for. I've been well aware of his phoney (a word he likes to use to project onto others) promises and bluster for decades, and of course, like many, didn't take this stumblebum seriously, to my peril. I remember the day he rode down the escalator, pretty much scoffed, and remember telling a shopkeeper of what I considered "news", but unfortunately really was news. His response, "Must have a book to sell." My point, and I do have one, is that people fell for the actor / character's schtick, and as his power snowballed, more and more people, including doubters like Cruz and Rubio, hooked their wagons to his runaway freight-train that they saw as an express to success. But this ragtag group he has assembled in 2.0 are each incompetent, as they will hold allegiance to the Dear Leader. And of course the fish rots from the head down, with this just being the most incompentent and disgraceful den of thieves and accomplices that have ever reigned. It's Genghis Khan in an expensive suit that Brioni doesn't want to be associated with because of his insistence on wearing a well-made potato sack cut from the finest material that (your) money can buy. They rape (metaphorically, though maybe literally too) and pillage, running roughshod over us with a 21st Century counterpart of the Supreme Court and Red State governors metaphorically decapitating anyone who doesn't support them. If I was taking job applications and reviewing CVs for six positions to fill the roles of friends / family, I would automatically disqualify anyone with the name "Trump" listed as a reference or previous employer. I subscribe to the Air Force advertising line once was, "Aim Higher" as a personal mantra; not a fan of the limbo dance as people seem to make a game of trying to compete to see how low they can go.
https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/mostdangerousman/
documentary on Ellsberg made by a friend, Judy Ehrlich.
I am watching this now, and it is great!
I'm pretty sure I saw it when it was broadcast on PBS, but I'm gonna watch it again. It's available to rent on Amazon. Thx for the tip
Wow. Thank you. This was great. You shared so much. But doesn’t it seem like he’s learned from his boss? Very similar to the other guy. Get rid of all the truth tellers. And more concerned about himself than the good for others. I’ve heard that one before. Lol. Great job. You really broke it down perfectly.
Right after he was released from prison G. Gordon Liddy was booked as a speaker at University of Puget Sound where I was chief. We got massive death threats so I put together a team of officers, including myself, for his security for which the college was on the hook for four days. So I spent four days with Liddy, including interviews at local radio stations, TV stations, dinner out with student council and meals that were just Liddy and my team. He spoke openly and honestly. As a one time prosecutor he was very comfortable with a group of cops.
Over dinner I asked him why take the risk when there wasn’t a chance in Hell McGovern could win? He said at the time they believed Ted Kennedy would be the opponent. He also seriously thought team Nixon was going to have him killed before he ever went to trial. Bat shit craziness all around.
The things that stuck in my mind were two. First, that he got up at 5 am every day and started the day with a hundred situps and a hundred pushups. The other thing was the ten year old boy that approached us outside Seattle TV station KIRO to ask Liddy to sign his copy of “Will.” Like Liddy was a baseball hero.
A film, "Yes Sir, No Sir" was made by veterans who came to oppose the Vietnam war, and documents the broad base of disobedience. The film makers say that a key turning point was when a squad of bombers returned to the base with _all_ of their bombs on board. They assert this act sent a message that the Rand corporation could not ignore. The US would lose the war. Have you noticed an incident that caused apprehension or 'turning" in Ellsberg's accounts?
A great read to start the day and a good reminder that while big acts of courage have a big impact, small acts also can influence the world.