The oral history we had to turn in last week got me thinking on a few things. I knew beforehand that history is surely written by the victors. I also knew that time has a way of changing things, especially perspective. What I didn’t know was how it changed the Watergate scandal over time.
It will forever be remembered as one of the most infamous political blunders in American history. Seeing the front page from the Los Angeles Times dated the day after President Ford was sworn into office coupled with talking to my father who bought the paper opened my eyes. The experience showed me how Nixon and Ford’s legacy has changed over time.
Nixon back then was seen as an insecure power-crazed politician (more so than most.) Now he is now lauded as a master of foreign policy. His relations with China are largely responsibly for where America is now in the foreign corporate world.
Then there’s Ford. Back then he was seen as a fill-in president. Today he’s praised for helping to bring the nation back together after the scandal. He wasn’t too overpowering and maniacal in his political aspirations, which would not have been what was best for the country at that fragile time.
In this particular case, time heals all wounds. People who were once seen as only one way are now seen from a different perspective as another way. The truth comes out and flaws are accepted as human nature while the work accomplished is finally given the appropriate appreciation it deserves once prejudice is removed through time and hindsight. It was a very interesting oral history and I was glad I had the opportunity to discuss the issue with my father.
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