That's a quick introduction to a man who became notorious for his involvement in Watergate, and who, as a "hot talk" talk show host has repeatedly incited his hard right audience to violence.
Here's a primer on Watergate for those who didn't live through it: these two segments are from a PBS documentary on the Watergate Affair: the break=in to Democratic Party headquarters, and the coverup that occurred afterward.
A burglary. On US soil. To provide "intel" for the benefit of the re-election campaign of a sitting POTUS. This was not the first time Liddy had done illegal acts on behalf of President Nixon: he had masterminded the bugging and surreptitious copying of papers at Daniel Ellsberg's therapist's office. Ellsberg was the journalist who found and exposed the Pentagon Papers, and Nixon wanted revenge. Liddy provided it.
Liddy did 5 years of a 20 year sentence for his part in masterminding the Watergate burglary. His sentence was inexplicably commuted by President Jimmy Carter. He attempted to start a private security company but failed. However, he has had a second life as a "famous for being famous" character who did bit parts in movies and TV, and then settled in to his current career in "hot talk" radio.
As a "hot talker" he played into the hatred of the ultra-Right for the Clintons and for the Clinton administration. Right after the Waco incident, Liddy told his audience:
If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insists upon a firefight, give them a firefight. Just remember, they're wearing flak jackets and you're better off shooting for the head.
-- G. Gordon Liddy, September 15th, 1994
Oooo-kay. So you want your listeners to assassinate government agents. And this is better than an ex-radical who wanted to blow up the Pentagon back in the 1960s? Who did his acts when Barack Obama was all of 8 years old? And who doesn't have a platform to spew his unrepentant hatred on "hot talk" radio? Liddy never apologized for his statements on that or any other day his radio show appeared.
Liddy supports McCain. He supported McCain way back in 1988, when he hosted a fund-raiser for McCain's ill-fated 2000 Presidential campaign at his mansion. He has donated to McCain's 2008 campaign. And when McCain went on Liddy's show last year, McCain said:
I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family....It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.
-- John McCain, November 2007
Burglary. Dirty Tricks. What Nixon colorfully referred to as "ratfucking." Assassination of government agents when those government agents report to a Democratic administration. This is the kind of associate McCain has called "my friend." This is the kind of associate McCain has had since the last decade, if not longer. Seriously, Ayers is small potatoes compared to G. Gordon Liddy. Principles and philosophies that keep our nation great? I don't think so.
More on G. Gordon Liddy
Wikipedia article
FAIR article
Interview from The Independent, London, UK, November 22nd, 2004.
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