Violence, Scandal, and the End of the Cold War 283Since the Tw e n t y -fifth Amendment to the Constitution provided
that the President nominate a replacement for the Vice President when
the position became vacant, Nixon chose Gerald R. Ford, the minority
leader of the House of Representatives. Both the Senate and the House
confirmed the appointment, and Ford assumed the office of Vice Pres-
ident.
Of par tic ular importance in 1973 was the decision of the
Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade. The Court struck down state anti-
abortion laws as a violation of the right of privacy guaranteed under the
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. The court affi rmed a
woman’s right to decide whether or not to terminate her pregnancy. The
ruling stated that during the first three months of pregnancy any gov-
ernment interference with a woman’s decision to abort the child was
unconstitutional. During the next three months a state may legislate to
protect a woman’s health, and during the final three months the state
could forbid abortion. As a result of this decision the number of legal
abortions quickly multiplied, setting off a national debate between those
who opposed abortion and called themselves pro-life and those who
favored a choice. Organizations were formed by both sides, and every
future appointment to the Supreme Court brought concern as to a can-
didate’s position on the Roe decision.
National politics soon overshadowed all other issues. The at-
tempted burglary at the Watergate quickly assumed momentous pro-
portions. Nixon repeatedly denied any involvement in the break-in,
even though there was an extensive cover-up, orchestrated by the White
House, to protect the would-be burglars. Perjury, obstruction of justice,
and bribery were just a few of the crimes the White House allegedly
committed. The burglars came before John J. Sirica, the chief judge of
the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. Five of them pleaded
guilty, and a jury found two others guilty. During the trial, it became
evident that two of the President’s closest advisers, H. R. Haldeman
and John R. Ehrlichman, were involved in a cover-up, and on April 30 ,
1973 , Nixon announced their resignation, along with that of John Dean,