Myths and Misses

Let me quote a time-honored maxim, slightly changing it to something more appropriate for Mr. Thompson’s benefit in his ongoing effort to polish his resume to a high gloss: “Those who do not know history are condemned to read a rewritten version of it.”
The behind-the-scenes facts of Watergate clearly show that Mr. Thompson was a minor player there, and only stumbled upon the scandal of Nixon’s tapes. For him to assert that he was protecting Nixon’s image, or somehow defending Nixon against a far-too-liberal press (and does that charge sound familiar?), is simply contradicted by the facts. Other than his minor role in Watergate, Mr. Thompson’s career as a senator was largely undistinguished. I must admit, though, I especially enjoyed Nixon’s characterization of the then-senator and soon-to-be savior of the Republican party’s presidential hopes in 2008.