Political Cartoons

In this cartoon, it is contrasting Nixon’s point of view of himself and the public’s point of view on his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Nixon is claiming that he is not a crook. However, him hanging in between the tapes suggests that the public feels differently. The judge ordered Nixon to turn over the tapes and he refused to release them. The public viewed him as a crook because, if he had nothing to do with the break in, he would release the tapes. The Senate Watergate Committee began an investigation on President Nixon. They found that these tapes had many conversations of Nixon in his offices. In one of the recordings it implicated the president, showing he was trying to cover up the break in at Watergate. The U.S. Supreme Court saw this as crucial evidence and demanded that the president hand of the tapes to the investigators. Nixon agreed and this later lead to his reassignment of office, in fear of being impeached.

In this cartoon, it is trying to show and declare America’s position in the Vietnam war. The White House declared that there would be no change in policy. The Defense Department tried to bring over 70,000 U.S. soldiers into combat in Vietnam. President Lyndon B. Johnson kept the public unaware as to where their position and involvement was. This uncertainty lead to political untrustworthiness and uncertainty of many Americans towards Lyndon B. Johnson. In addition to the White House declaring that there would be no policy change, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed. The Senate passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution  allowing Lyndon Johnson to have  complete control over the American’s involvement in the Vietnamese war. He was able to decide if he wanted to have direct combat or fighting in moderation.