A Look Back at America's Most Turbulent Thanksgiving Scandals
The week between Thanksgiving and Christmas is often a time for reflection, but also for controversy. From President Richard Nixon's infamous "I am not a crook" statement to Donald Trump's pardon of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, the holiday season has seen its fair share of political drama.
In 1973, Nixon held a press conference just days before Thanksgiving, where he famously declared, "I am not a crook." The statement was an attempt to defend himself against mounting evidence of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. At the heart of the scandal were Nixon's efforts to obstruct justice and cover up his administration's wrongdoing.
Just over two decades later, President Ronald Reagan faced his own crisis during the Iran-Contra affair. Details began to unravel about the secret arms sale to Iran and the use of funds to support anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua in early November 1986. Two days before Thanksgiving, Reagan announced the dismissal of National Security Adviser John Poindexter and Lt. Col. Oliver North.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton faced impeachment proceedings over his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. While many Americans were out shopping on Black Friday, the House Judiciary Committee delivered Clinton's written responses to 81 questions related to the scandal.
Fast forward to 2003, when President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq to meet with troops stationed in Baghdad. The trip was cloaked in secrecy until he arrived, and sparked claims that the president was working for a political gain ahead of the 2004 election.
The most recent scandal to rock the White House came on the eve of Thanksgiving in 2020, when President Donald Trump delivered a full pardon to his former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn. The move ended a years-long legal battle stemming from the Russia investigation into the 2016 election.
As Americans gather around their tables this holiday season, they will likely be reminded that politics is always just around the corner.
The week between Thanksgiving and Christmas is often a time for reflection, but also for controversy. From President Richard Nixon's infamous "I am not a crook" statement to Donald Trump's pardon of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, the holiday season has seen its fair share of political drama.
In 1973, Nixon held a press conference just days before Thanksgiving, where he famously declared, "I am not a crook." The statement was an attempt to defend himself against mounting evidence of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. At the heart of the scandal were Nixon's efforts to obstruct justice and cover up his administration's wrongdoing.
Just over two decades later, President Ronald Reagan faced his own crisis during the Iran-Contra affair. Details began to unravel about the secret arms sale to Iran and the use of funds to support anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua in early November 1986. Two days before Thanksgiving, Reagan announced the dismissal of National Security Adviser John Poindexter and Lt. Col. Oliver North.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton faced impeachment proceedings over his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. While many Americans were out shopping on Black Friday, the House Judiciary Committee delivered Clinton's written responses to 81 questions related to the scandal.
Fast forward to 2003, when President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq to meet with troops stationed in Baghdad. The trip was cloaked in secrecy until he arrived, and sparked claims that the president was working for a political gain ahead of the 2004 election.
The most recent scandal to rock the White House came on the eve of Thanksgiving in 2020, when President Donald Trump delivered a full pardon to his former National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn. The move ended a years-long legal battle stemming from the Russia investigation into the 2016 election.
As Americans gather around their tables this holiday season, they will likely be reminded that politics is always just around the corner.
. Like, what's next? Pardoning everyone he's ever had a feud with? It's wild to think about how far back those scandals go, though... Nixon and Reagan's messes are still making waves 40+ years later 
. And can we talk about how Clinton got away with that whole Lewinsky thing for so long? I mean, I'm not saying he didn't deserve it or anything, but like, 81 questions from the House Judiciary Committee? That's a lot of scrutiny 
. Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that Thanksgiving isn't always about turkey and football... sometimes it's about scandals and drama 
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Like, in 2017, during the week before Christmas, there was a major scandal involving Russian interference in US elections... 
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but honestly the most relatable thing for me is how all this politics drama always seems to pop up right around thanksgiving when were supposed to be focusing on family and food 
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Just kidding! 
Meanwhile, Reagan's Iran-Contra affair was like the original government cover-up scandal. And Clinton's Lewinsky thing... um, 1998 was a wild time for America 
. Fast forward to today and Trump giving Flynn a pardon just before Thanksgiving? Yeah, that one was pretty wild too 
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. Nixon was trying to cover up Watergate, Reagan was hiding the Iran-Contra affair, Clinton was dodging impeachment, and Bush was using his trip to Iraq as a PR stunt... what about all those pardons? It's suspiciously convenient that Trump just happens to pardon Flynn right before Thanksgiving too 
. And have you noticed how every time these scandals break out, it's always around the holidays? It's like the government wants us to be too distracted to pay attention to what's really going on... I'm not buying it 
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? Give me a break. And don't even get me started on Nixon... "I am not a crook" indeed 
. Ah well, I guess times change 
. I guess that's what makes politics so fascinating (and frustrating) – it's always drama, drama, and more drama! 
. So, here's to the whistleblowers, investigative journalists, and everyday citizens who keep pushing for transparency and justice! 
. Like, is that even fair to everyone else who got pardoned for their crimes? 
. It's like, they knew people would be distracted during Thanksgiving, so why not bring up some drama while they're at it? 
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. Can we please just enjoy our turkey and mashed potatoes without any politics?! 
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. Maybe next year we'll have more good news to celebrate 
Politicians are human too, they make mistakes, but it's how we respond to those mistakes that matters. We need to focus on what unites us rather than tearing each other apart over past controversies. Let's enjoy our Thanksgiving turkey and try to put the drama of politics on the backburner for a day 
... it's also about dealin' with all the drama in the White House! 
. And can we talk about how the media always seems to get wind of it just before Thanksgiving? Like, it's almost like they're tryin' to sabotage the holiday vibes 
. And then there's Reagan with the Iran-Contra thing, talk about a mess 
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. But honestly, who cares about their scandals right now? Let's focus on stuffing our faces and being grateful for what we have 
? I get that Flynn was a loyal guy, but does he really need a full pardon after doing some questionable things? 