Robert Scheer and John Dean

AUDIO: Robert Scheer and John Dean on Richard Nixon, Ted Cruz and the Abuse of Power 

Posted on Oct 30, 2015

    Robert Scheer with Richard Nixon in 1985. (Courtesy of Robert Scheer) 

In the premiere episode of KCRW’s “Scheer Intelligence,” Truthdig’s editor-in-chief sits down with John Dean, the former legal adviser to President Richard Nixon who blew the lid on Watergate scandal. At the time of the scandal, Dean famously remarked that there was a “cancer on the presidency.” Now an outspoken critic of the Republican Party, he describes Nixon as “a president who had a criminal mentality,” adding: “[He] sought revenge against his perceived enemies [and] was going to use his presidency to that end. Had he not have been removed from office, there’s no telling what he would have done to his so-called enemies.” In this podcast, Dean offers his take on the misuse of power under the guise of national security both during Nixon’s presidency and today.


From KCRW.com:

In his most recent book, “The Nixon Defense: What He Knew and When He Knew It,” guest John Dean listened to hundreds of hours of never-before-exposed tapes recorded during Nixon’s time in office. In the interview, Dean discusses the history of presidential recordings and why Nixon’s were ultimately his downfall. He also talks about the difference between Goldwater Republicans, which he considered himself to be, and the current state of the GOP, with a faction he considers uninterested in actually governing.

Scheer and Dean also discuss how presidents have used national security as a justification for violating people’s civil rights, from Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon papers through the George W. Bush administration into today. A fascinating and surprising interview with a man who has the unique perspective of being first a participant and ultimately a scholar on the Nixon presidency.

From Dean’s thoughts on Ted Cruz’ attacks on his enemies to Dean’s insights into Richard Nixon’s mental state, here’s a selection of some of his best quotes from the podcast:

• “I look at someone like Ted Cruz who is running for president, who’s trying to be independent, very conservative. He’s made enemies of just about everybody he can in the United States Senate. When Cruz is through and loses his bid for the presidency and has to go back to the Senate, he’s not going to be able to get anything done.”
• “I agree that there is a need to protect a president from leaking. I just don’t think you have to send people to jail to enforce it.”
• “Post-Watergate, government had been relatively transparent, but when Bush and Cheney came in, they closed the blinds, pulled the drapes, slammed the doors, went to the basement and started a whole new operation in deep secret, and people weren’t aware of what was going on.”
• “I don’t think Richard Nixon in his darkest mood would have authorized torture.”
• “While Nixon was abusive in the exercise of his presidential powers, he didn’t go as far as it’s gone in recent years.”
• “There’s a huge difference between the parties. They have never been more polarized. There is no room for any dissent within the Republican ranks.”
• “That’s just to me always been a mind-blowing attitude to even get into government if you want to destroy the government and try to obstruct the government. I think it is unconstitutional, I think there may be criminal implications in what these people are doing, and no one’s ever dug out the fact that this is a near treasonous mentality this party has at its core.”
• “There’s an element in the Republican party today that doesn’t want the government to work. That’s pretty frightening.”

—Posted by Roisin Davis

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