In short, it involved an incident that happended before President Nixon was re-elected. The Administartion covered up the entire affair, and the shit did not hit the fan untill well into the 2d term.
But two enterprising reporters would not let it go, and finally it took hold. The entire fiasco ended with the resignation of a President over not what actually happenned in the initial act, but all of the lying and cover up that followed.
This entire Lybian mess has the possibility of turning into another watergate. The big difference is, Nixon had the press corps against him, and President Obama has it in his back pocket.
But the internet and round the clock new channels did not exist in the early 70's.
Is there a Woodward and Bernstein lurking out there that will not let go.
Anybody that thinks General Patreaus resigned because of an affair are niave. Hillary has already said she is quitting. The President has a History of throwing people under the bus, but Patreaus is a War Hero, and Hillary is, first and formost, Mrs Bill Clinton. Try throwing her under the bus, and watch the true rock star of politics turn on you in a second.
History just might be getting ready to be repeated. They never learn. The lies and coverups are always worse than the initial event.
"What did the President know, and when did he know it". That sword can cut both ways.