Published on Wednesday, October 8, 2008

V.P. debate column misstated historical facts

By LETTER WRITER

I could not believe some of the inaccuracies in Keith Cameron’s article about the VP debate. He states, “President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew both left office after Watergate. Speaker of the House Gerald Ford then became president.”

That is not entirely correct. What REALLY happened was that Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned from office due to crimes committed during his service as governor of Maryland. (His resignation had absolutely nothing to do with Watergate).

Gerald Ford, who was the House Minority Leader (not Speaker of the House) was then appointed by Richard Nixon to become Vice President.

When Richard Nixon resigned from office the following year due to Watergate (not “after” Watergate), Vice President Gerald Ford became president.


Steve Sarver
faculty member