The parallels between Watergate and the Russia scandal are growing as Michael Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, is getting advice from the man who brought down Nixon, John Dean.
Politico reported:
“I reached out to my old friend John Dean because of what he went through with Watergate, and I saw some parallels to what Michael Cohen is experiencing. I wanted to gain from John’s wisdom,†Davis told POLITICO.
“I certainly don’t want to raise expectations that Mr. Cohen has anything like the level of deep involvement and detailed knowledge that John Dean had in the Nixon White House as a witness to Nixon’s crimes, but I did see some similarities and wanted to learn from what John went through.â€
It is likely a leap several miles too far to think that Cohen can play the same role in the Russia scandal that Dean played in the Watergate investigation, but the similarities are striking. The problem is that comparing Trump to Richard Nixon does a great disservice to Nixon who was intelligent, competent, and not as corrupt as what the country is witnessing unfold in the Trump administration.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Trump is Richard Nixon with a brain injury. While he possesses some of the same negative personality traits as Nixon, he is not as smart or competent as Nixon. Cohen is the point where many Trump scandals have the potential to come together and overlap. Cohen is the intersection point between Russia, Trump’s business dealings, and his paying off of mistresses.
HBO’s John Oliver has it right when he refers to the Russia scandal as stupid Watergate.
Dean’s experience can only help Michael Cohen, and in some small way, could aid in bringing down a second corrupt president.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
