They Said No to Nixon: Republicans Who Stood Up to the President's Abuses of Power"One reason Koncewicz’s narrative is so compelling is that it’s also a redemption story."—The Washington Post "Excruciatingly timely."—Kirkus Reviews In more than three thousand recorded conversations, the Nixon tapes famously exposed a president’s sinister views of governance that would eventually lead to his downfall. Despite Richard Nixon’s best efforts, his vision of a government where he could use his power to punish his political enemies never came to fruition because members of his own party defied his directives. While many are familiar with the Republicans who turned against Nixon during the final stages of the Watergate saga, They Said No to Nixon uncovers for the first time those within the administration—including Nixon’s own appointees—who opposed the White House early on, quietly blocking the president’s attacks on the IRS, the Justice Department, and other sectors of the federal government. Culling from previously unpublished excerpts from the tapes and recently released materials that expose the thirty-seventh president’s uncensored views, Michael Koncewicz reveals how Republican party members remained loyal civil servants in the face of Nixon’s attempts to expand the imperial presidency. Delving into the abuses of power surrounding the Watergate era and showing how they were curbed, They Said No to Nixon sheds light on the significant cultural and ideological shifts that occurred within the GOP during the pivotal 1970s. Koncewicz deftly demonstrates how Nixon’s administration marked a decisive moment that led to the rise of modern conservatism and today’s ruthlessly partisan politics. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abuses of power agency antiwar appointment Archibald Cox Archives ardson argued asked attempted attorney audit August Barth Bork bureaucracy Camp David Caspar Weinberger Colson commissioner conservative movement conversation culture Dean defense Democratic Ehrlichman elite Elliot Richardson enemies list federal government fire Cox Folder former George Shultz H. R. Haldeman Haig House Special Files House's Internal Revenue Service interview with author Ivy League Jerome Wiesner John John Ehrlichman Johnnie Walters Justice Department Kissinger later liberal Library Oral History loyalty Malek meeting memo Memorandum MIT's moderates Morrill National Nixon administration Nixon Library Nixon Library Oral O'Brien O'Neill October Oval Office Pentagon Plumbers Task Force political politicize president president's Republican resignation resistance Revenue Service Box Richard Nixon Richardson Papers role Ruckelshaus Saturday Night Massacre second term secretary special prosecutor staff Task Force Investigation tion told University Vietnam Walters's White House Special Wiesner wrote WSPF York