Watergate Quotes

Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.

One of the distinctions between democracy and other forms of government is that while democracy is messy on the surface, other forms of government are messy underneath.

What did the President know and when did he know it?

[Commenting on Watergate:] Never again must America allow an arrogant, elite guard of political adolescents to by-pass the regular party organization and dictate the terms of a national election.

I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.

Of course a lot of the journalists hated Nixon, but they were always blown away by how smart he was.

Voters who disregarded Richard Nixon's involvement in the questionable ethics issue that led to his Checkers speech should not have been surprised when he orchestrated the Watergate cover-up as president.

I’ll use prostitutes to go out and seduce … high campaign officials.

In 1971, near the middle of Nixon's first term, he approved a plan to install a White House taping system as a way of preserving an accurate chronicle of important discussions and decisions. Except for Nixon, three aides, and the Secret Service, no one knew about the listening devices.

Our citizens do not know whom to believe, and many of them have concluded that all the processes of government have become so compromised that honest government has been rendered impossible.

Find the corrupt officials and then prosecute them and send them to prison!

If the national government falls into the hands of sufficiently unprincipled men, they can do terrible things before any one can stop them.

I ordered that they use any means necessary, including illegal means, to accomplish this goal. . . . The president of the United States can never admit that.

The respect of the American people for the Congress has been increased. They can see the Congress as a vigilant Congress.

Because of Watergate in part, I am kind of a magnet for calls and information and suggestions.

I think there are periods in this country when behavior is abhorrent: McCarthy, Watergate, Bill Clinton. It's just a question of how the checks and balances in the American system work and how leaders stand up to it or don't stand up to it.

What was Watergate? A little bugging!

The Watergate burglary was both illegal and stupid

I’ve studied Nixon since the Kennedy campaign. I’ve no doubt that the trail will lead to the Oval Office.

The institution of the presidency was profoundly affected by Watergate.

No more Nixon jokes. He’s a sick man.

It would seem that the Watergate story from beginning to end could be used as a primer on the American political system.

Had matters gone as planned—and the [Watergate] tapes trickled out posthumously—[Richard] Nixon would have managed the extraordinary feat of committing suicide after his own death.

The official version of Watergate is as wrong as a Flat Earth Society pamphlet.

Unlike a monarch, the President is not the Sovereign.