Category Archives: U.S. Presidents

Ellsberg break-in plan approved 40 years ago today


Watergate. Part 3 of 30

(Wednesday, August 11, 1971) — A plan by E. Howard Hunt, one of the Nixon White House “Plumbers” (a secret team of operatives charged with fixing “leaks” to leading newspapers), to burglarize the office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to steal his files on Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, was approved by Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman.

Reagan fires 11,000 striking air traffic controllers


Aug. 5, 1981: Air Traffic Controllers Strike

(Wednesday, August 5, 1981) — U.S. President Ronald Reagan today fired more than 11,000 air traffic controllers who ignored his order to return to work. Nearly 13,000 controllers walked off the job Aug. 3 after talks with the Federal Aviation Administration collapsed.

FDR likely infected by polio virus at boy scout camp


(click here to watch the full program, with July 28, 1921 @ 53:22)

(Thursday, July 28, 1921) — 1920 Democratic vice presidential nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt visited a large Boy Scout encampment at Bear Mountain, New York, today, where it is believed he was infected by the polio virus.

Ellsberg files burglary plan hatched


Watergate. Part 2 of 30

(Wednesday, July 28, 1971) — E. Howard Hunt, one of the Nixon White House “plumbers” — a secret team of operatives charged with fixing “leaks,” proposed to Nixon Special Counsel Charles Colson that the “plumbers” burglarize the office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to steal his files on Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, to discredit him. Continue reading Ellsberg files burglary plan hatched

Plan to firebomb Brookings called off


Watergate. Part 2 of 30

(Sunday, July 11, 1971) — White House Counsel John Dean flew to San Clemente, California, today to tell Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman that a plan to firebomb the Brookings Institution, which was conducting a study of American involvement in Vietnam thought to be another “Pentagon Papers” covering the Nixon years, should be abandoned.  Ehrlichman called the operation off.