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Charlotte Talks: It All Goes Back To January 1973

Chris Miller / WFAE

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018

The events of January 1973 put the country on a course that has led to today's political divisions, from the Roe v Wade decision to the Vietnam War.

It seems fitting that the partial government shutdown was taking place during the 45th anniversary of a pivotal moment in American politics, one that historian and author James Robenalt says set the stage for the current climate of division.

The moment actually spanned an entire month, January 1973, which saw the beginning of Richard Nixon’s ill-fated second term, the Watergate burglars’ trial and the death of former president Lyndon Johnson.

But the events of January 22 and January 23, in particular, carried historical weight with the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v Wade decision, and the declaration that America was ending its involvement in the Vietnam War.

James Robenalt talks with Mike Collins about how the events of then continue to effect the politics of now.

GUEST

James Robenalt, attorney and historian; author of January 1973: Watergate, Roe V. Wade, Vietnam and the Month That Changed America Forever (@jimrobenalt)

Highlights from today's show:

The death of Harry Truman and the Nixon counter revolution:

counter_revolution.mp3

The historical impact of Roe v Wade:

roe_v_wade.mp3

James Robenalt on the comparisons between President Trump and Nixon:

nixon.mp3

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