1. The name of a (ugly) hotel in Washington, DC.
2. Used to refer to the events following the discovery of the break in of the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate hotel complex by operatives of the White House that lead to the resignation of President Nixon.
3. Used to refer to a political scandal.
2. Used to refer to the events following the discovery of the break in of the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate hotel complex by operatives of the White House that lead to the resignation of President Nixon.
3. Used to refer to a political scandal.
1. I'm staying at the Watergate.
2. After Watergate, people lost trust in the goverment.
3. Clinton had another Watergate on his hands with the Lewenski scandal.
2. After Watergate, people lost trust in the goverment.
3. Clinton had another Watergate on his hands with the Lewenski scandal.
by Performaman December 6, 2003
The most infamous political scandal in US history that resulted in the resignation of President Richard Nixon and his VP Spiro Agnew in 1974. It centered around a burglery at the Watergate hotel in Washington by the president's operatives to dig up information on his political enemies. The scandal later used a political enemies hit list, firings in the executive branch, wiretapping, threats, the IRS, and intimidation directed toward Nixon's enemies. During Nixon's endictment he refused to surrender tapes to the FBI that he knew would have resulted in his prosecution. Once Nixon knew there were enough votes in the House to impeach him and enough in the Senate to convict him, he resigned in disgrace--the only President to do so. A few months afterward, the new President Gerald Ford gave him a total pardon, allowing him to keep retain his law license. For the rest of his life he continued to deny any involvement in the scandal--at least directly.
Watergate was one of the saddest chapters in American politics in the 20th century. If it weren't for the Watergate scandal, Nixon would go down in history as being a very good President or average at worst.
by krock1dk@yahoo.com December 6, 2008
n. The granddaddy of the modern political scandal. Also used to refer to scandals similar to Watergate. For the press to compare a scandal to Watergate, the following conditions must be met:
1) It must be of national importance.
2) It must involve the executive branch in some way.
3) Someone outside the media must refer to it as
"a new Watergate" or, "the next Watergate".
4) Should increase angry rants against the
people involved by at least 20%.
If a scandal meets three of these conditions, it may be be given the suffix -gate but the word Watergate must remain out of the article. If it meets two of these conditions, it may be given its own name, such as "Iran-contra affair". If it meets only one of these conditions, it is refered to as "standard political procedure".
1) It must be of national importance.
2) It must involve the executive branch in some way.
3) Someone outside the media must refer to it as
"a new Watergate" or, "the next Watergate".
4) Should increase angry rants against the
people involved by at least 20%.
If a scandal meets three of these conditions, it may be be given the suffix -gate but the word Watergate must remain out of the article. If it meets two of these conditions, it may be given its own name, such as "Iran-contra affair". If it meets only one of these conditions, it is refered to as "standard political procedure".
Watergate is what caused people to lose trust in the government.
The scandal surrounding Valerie Plame may be the next Watergate (but now we can only refer to it as Plamegate).
The scandal surrounding Valerie Plame may be the next Watergate (but now we can only refer to it as Plamegate).
by A_1_B_2_C_______ October 9, 2006
by JimmyHologram September 18, 2009
v., transitive
Taping over a door latch to prevent the door from locking. This verb is named in honor of the Watergate scandal, where this behavior was exhibited.
Taping over a door latch to prevent the door from locking. This verb is named in honor of the Watergate scandal, where this behavior was exhibited.
Who Watergated the doors?
by Moggraider April 5, 2008
To escape quickly, derived from when Richard Nixon quickly resigned after the Watergate scandal started to escalate.
by swagmurda April 15, 2010
The act of machine shredding all of your mail after reading it instead of just throwing it in the trash. Those especially concerned about identity theft are often "watergaters".
by Binge n' Purge April 18, 2009