It is clear that Nixon will be impeached and convicted in the Senate. Nixon resigns, the first president ever to do so. Gerald Ford becomes the 38th president. He nominates Nelson Rockefeller as vice-president. They become the nation's first unelected presidential duo.
Some commentators attribute the increased level of cynicism about politics to the Watergate affair.
The media becomes more confident and aggressive. Watergate was unravelled by the Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. A new wave of Democratic congressmen is elected in 1976 and there are dramatic changes in the composition of committee chairmanships. Many of Nixon's subordinates are jailed, some discover religion, and others write books. Nixon sets about rehabilitating his reputation, writing books and travelling the world.