Professor Nicole Hemmer

It does. And that's where, again, remembering that people had watched these events. behind-the-scenes conspiracies actually play out over the previous two years.

They had seen all of these internal efforts to undermine opponents and create political discord, not just with the break-in and the cover-up of Watergate, but remember, the Watergate investigation exposed a range of different unethical and corrupt and dirty tricks that the Nixon administration was pursuing on a regular basis.

They had seen all of these internal efforts to undermine opponents and create political discord, not just with the break-in and the cover-up of Watergate, but remember, the Watergate investigation exposed a range of different unethical and corrupt and dirty tricks that the Nixon administration was pursuing on a regular basis.

They had seen all of these internal efforts to undermine opponents and create political discord, not just with the break-in and the cover-up of Watergate, but remember, the Watergate investigation exposed a range of different unethical and corrupt and dirty tricks that the Nixon administration was pursuing on a regular basis.

So the assumption immediately is that, of course, this is the next chapter, that Gerald Ford was nominated vice president because he made this agreement with Nixon or that somehow along the way they had this negotiation where they had this agreement that, OK, Ford would step in, Nixon would step down as long as he got that pardon. And so there are many different theories that start to circulate.

So the assumption immediately is that, of course, this is the next chapter, that Gerald Ford was nominated vice president because he made this agreement with Nixon or that somehow along the way they had this negotiation where they had this agreement that, OK, Ford would step in, Nixon would step down as long as he got that pardon. And so there are many different theories that start to circulate.

So the assumption immediately is that, of course, this is the next chapter, that Gerald Ford was nominated vice president because he made this agreement with Nixon or that somehow along the way they had this negotiation where they had this agreement that, OK, Ford would step in, Nixon would step down as long as he got that pardon. And so there are many different theories that start to circulate.

But historians have not found any evidence that that actually happened, that there was any kind of discussion or an arrangement or even an understanding between Ford and Nixon about a pardon.

But historians have not found any evidence that that actually happened, that there was any kind of discussion or an arrangement or even an understanding between Ford and Nixon about a pardon.

But historians have not found any evidence that that actually happened, that there was any kind of discussion or an arrangement or even an understanding between Ford and Nixon about a pardon.

All of the documentary evidence really points to this notion that Ford believed it was in the best interest of the country to move forward, not go into another trial, a criminal trial, that he thought that would have people relive the wounds of Watergate. And really set a precedent that could be destructive down the road as well.

All of the documentary evidence really points to this notion that Ford believed it was in the best interest of the country to move forward, not go into another trial, a criminal trial, that he thought that would have people relive the wounds of Watergate. And really set a precedent that could be destructive down the road as well.

All of the documentary evidence really points to this notion that Ford believed it was in the best interest of the country to move forward, not go into another trial, a criminal trial, that he thought that would have people relive the wounds of Watergate. And really set a precedent that could be destructive down the road as well.

Absolutely. And that takes root because, again, it's this particular moment where people are so cynical. And the press is very cynical. But it's also at this moment when all of his advisers and all of the expectations for presidents are that they present a polished image, right?

Absolutely. And that takes root because, again, it's this particular moment where people are so cynical. And the press is very cynical. But it's also at this moment when all of his advisers and all of the expectations for presidents are that they present a polished image, right?

Absolutely. And that takes root because, again, it's this particular moment where people are so cynical. And the press is very cynical. But it's also at this moment when all of his advisers and all of the expectations for presidents are that they present a polished image, right?

So there's this constant... And these are the two legacies of Richard Nixon that he has to grapple with, is that the operations of politics more broadly, but specifically the White House, have become a well-crafted machine, focusing on cultivating a very specific... presidential image that is then sold and packaged and sold to the American people and to journalists.

So there's this constant... And these are the two legacies of Richard Nixon that he has to grapple with, is that the operations of politics more broadly, but specifically the White House, have become a well-crafted machine, focusing on cultivating a very specific... presidential image that is then sold and packaged and sold to the American people and to journalists.

So there's this constant... And these are the two legacies of Richard Nixon that he has to grapple with, is that the operations of politics more broadly, but specifically the White House, have become a well-crafted machine, focusing on cultivating a very specific... presidential image that is then sold and packaged and sold to the American people and to journalists.

Then, on the other hand, the legacy of Nixon is that this is all a fabrication and it could be hiding not just, you know, gaffes, but those gaffes could be insight into a bigger corruption or bigger scandal that might be hidden behind the scenes. And so it's this pressure to have a polished communication effort as well, and more attention, right? The cameras are on him.