This country would've literally torn itself apart if Nixon stood trial
I hear this yet there's never a "why" and "how" given. Do people really think the country would have literally collapsed over trying a corrupt President?
There were a decent number of Archie Bunker types that defended Nixon to the very end and would've continued to defend him, causing even more problems. On top of that, as I said Ford wouldn't have been able to govern the country at all (and he was barely able to even with the pardon) had he not done so and this was his main reasoning for pardoning Nixon in the first place. Keep in mind we had inflation and at the same time had what was at the time the worst economic recession since the great depression from 1973-1975, all of which would most likely be worse had the country been pre occupied with Watergate and a trial.
A Government and a Country that is still preoccupied with Watergate isn't going to be able to deal with the economic problems of the time, which were pretty dire. This was Ford's reasoning behind the pardon. Ford had nothing to gain from pardon and might've done even worse in 1976 had he not pardoned him, as all the other problems would've gone unsolved and he would be blamed.
Another big problem would be if Nixon knew he was going down, he would drag down every nasty SOB with him he could. Think of Nixon releasing 25 years of his intel on his enemies that he had gotten from his dirty tricks. It would get really ugly fast.
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