For decades people compared coincidences between the lives of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy as both were assassinated. Now the newest comparisons are between the scandal riddled tenure of President Richard Nixon and the current fortunes of President Donald Trump.
Nixon ultimately submitted his resignation after the coverup of the break-in at DNC headquarters at the Watergate Hotel led to his impeachment.
One person making the connection between the Nixon and Trump administrations is historian Michael Beschloss. On Thursday, Beschloss took to Twitter to share a headline from The New York Times.
It read:
"NIXON REJECTS SUBPOENAS, TELLS RODINO HE WILL GET NO MORE WATERGATE DATA"
New York Times, 45 years ago this month: https://t.co/2RmrlJ3uFc— Michael Beschloss (@Michael Beschloss) 1556819209.0
@BeschlossDC https://t.co/XnDB0PCM5D— Susan Daniel (@Susan Daniel) 1556830399.0
Peter Rodino was a Democratic Representative from New Jersey who was involved in the House review of the Watergate scandal. Nixon famously refused to cooperate with House subpoenas for information related to the Watergate break-in which eventually led to the end of his presidency.
The Trump Organization and the Trump administration is currently fighting against compliance with subpoenas on multiple fronts from multiple investigations.
The similarities were lost on no one.
@BeschlossDC @kairyssdal The parallels blow my mind— Wendy Sykes (@Wendy Sykes) 1556819805.0
@SEAWendySykes @BeschlossDC @kairyssdal Inability to change or move into the future is a hallmark of Conservative psychology.— Jessica Whitmore (@Jessica Whitmore) 1556832129.0
@JessiePaladine @SEAWendySykes @BeschlossDC @kairyssdal https://t.co/w76RwMe9rq— The Mane Event™ (@The Mane Event™) 1556833995.0
@EliasTheodorou @JessiePaladine @SEAWendySykes @BeschlossDC @kairyssdal Slow Burn. Season 1 Episode 5. First 5 minu… https://t.co/5NmuLflhwr— Matt (@Matt) 1556858683.0
@tetsuwanmatto @EliasTheodorou @JessiePaladine @SEAWendySykes @BeschlossDC @kairyssdal Of course not. Nixon was the… https://t.co/4zBGWZrVSz— Quid-Pro-Beaux 🏳️🌈🚀🛸🛰 (@Quid-Pro-Beaux 🏳️🌈🚀🛸🛰) 1556881543.0
More than a few fingers were pointed at the GOP and Attorney General William Barr.
@BeschlossDC Too bad there don’t seem to be any ethical Republicans this time around.— Elizabeth R. (@Elizabeth R.) 1556819483.0
@JackRottie @BeschlossDC Ethical Republican has become an oxymoron.— bluebird (@bluebird) 1556825436.0
@bluebir97965194 @JackRottie @BeschlossDC …then he became extinct!— C.J. Martinez (@C.J. Martinez) 1556854255.0
@ElastigirlVotes @AudreyGarden @BeschlossDC If I remember correctly my history it interesting to note that John Mit… https://t.co/5ZPRS2qkUC— Greg Holtman (@Greg Holtman) 1556892356.0
@BeschlossDC I hope if the same game is being played by the White House, we are fortunate to have the same result.— Jim Flack (@Jim Flack) 1556821245.0
@jflacktally @BeschlossDC One crucial difference - this generation, lacks the few republicans with integrity and th… https://t.co/rK1GnUcf4S— BethanyD (@BethanyD) 1556867424.0
People clearly saw parallels and a failure to learn from the past.
@BeschlossDC @RealBryanDawson How far we have come. About two inches, I think.— Karyn Zen🤨🦋🏳️🌈 (@Karyn Zen🤨🦋🏳️🌈) 1556832535.0
@UnreadDatum @BeschlossDC @RealBryanDawson Backwards? 🤔— Oppukuchappani (@Oppukuchappani) 1556847815.0
@oppukuchappani @BeschlossDC @RealBryanDawson Every direction except forwards, I think...all at once.— Karyn Zen🤨🦋🏳️🌈 (@Karyn Zen🤨🦋🏳️🌈) 1556847930.0
@UnreadDatum @oppukuchappani @BeschlossDC @RealBryanDawson Yep, put “R’s” in offic to go in Reverse...”D’s” to drive forward...— Marsh Mouse (@Marsh Mouse) 1556862433.0
@savethemouse @UnreadDatum @oppukuchappani @BeschlossDC @RealBryanDawson I think we're spinning like those pesky cancer causing windmills— Berniece peterson (@Berniece peterson) 1556875435.0
@BeschlossDC @KevinMKruse Kevin Kruse said a long while ago that if Trump kept following the Watergate playbook any… https://t.co/WPCkbQ0vVz— Wyatt Derp (@Wyatt Derp) 1556820469.0
Whether the Trump presidency continues to follow in the footsteps of the Nixon presidency to its ultimate conclusion remains to be seen.