Herschensohn and Watergate

Twenty years later and I’m still writing Watergate letters to The Times! But Herschensohn is still making excuses for Nixon, and, after 20 years, just doesn’t seem to get it: Nixon wasn’t brought down because of wiretapping or any other nefarious tactic he allowed. He was forced to resign because of his clumsy and cavalier attempts to hide what was going on and thus deceive the American people. Tried in a court of law, Nixon surely would have been convicted of obstruction of justice. Gerald Ford’s sweeping pardon, divisive at the time and politically suicidal, was, in retrospect, a bold act that spared the nation the horrible vision of its former chief executive on trial or in jail.

Wake up, Bruce: The documents, including the White House tapes, show that Nixon had no choice but to resign, and for you to continue saying otherwise is clear proof that you are nothing more than the right-wing ideologue you were when you worked for this disgraced President. More telling, it reveals that you are in possession of two fatal flaws for any politician; blinded by your own dogma and unable to learn from your mistakes.

RONALD D. HARDCASTLE

Los Angeles