On November 17, 1973, President Richard Nixon held a televised press conference at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Florida and insisted, “I am not a crook,” while defending his personal finances during the Watergate scandal. The statement came as investigations intensified into the break-in and cover-up involving his reelection campaign. Nixon argued that his tax practices and holdings were legal, but public confidence had already been badly shaken. The phrase quickly became a cultural shorthand for evasive denials by politicians. Within a year, mounting evidence and political pressure forced Nixon to resign. The press conference remains one of the most remembered media moments of the Watergate era.
