consensus that has characterised American politics for many years. At the same time President Johnson's attempts to keep both the liberal Democrats and the 'cowboys happy through heavy government spending caused big problems for the economy.
With the nomination of Eugene MoCarthy as their Presidential candidate in 1968, the Democratic Party became deeply divided. The 'old guard' tried to restore its hold in 1972, but Tailed again. Another supposed "radical George MoGovern, was nominated, and the party split wide open. As a result Nixon became the universal choice even if only as the "lesser of two evils' - of all sections of the ruling class.
But Nizon's political policies and actions are not supported by all sections of the ruling class. The 'cowboys' and the capita list class of the 'southern rim' represent an important but not yet totally dominant group. Nixon's authoritarian and secretive methods, the nature and one-sided character of his group of political associates, his attempt to build up his own power through a set of personal super-agencies," were not seen as serving the interests of the raling class as a whole, or the entire Republican Party, Watergate is the issue around which the upposition to Nixon within the ruling class has chosen to fight. Nixon's landslide victory over McGovern last year did not end che differences between different sections of the ruling class. it just forced them to fight out those differences on a different plane. The battle is now no longer going on primarily between the two major political parties, but within the Republican Party itself.