revelations russia giant hand influence election one word use throughout media unprecedented well unprecedented exactly true true russia hack blatant trump involvement become undeniable first time foreign hostile government play role instal republican leader go far back see examples.nearly 50 years ago 1968 famously scandal-ridden president begin term scandal democratic opponent vice president hubert humphrey switch course president lyndon b. johnson promise would pull vietnam war nixon begin fall poll october 30th johnson though announce would peace talk nixon lead disappear nixon invite vietnam intervene.nixon team meet secretly anna chan chennault wealthy supporter taiwanese president chiang kai-shek co-chair republican women nixon confidante south vietnamese president nguyen van thieu nixon behest chennault inform thieu nixon would secure good deal country either humphrey johnson democrats effectively prepare sell saigon order secure peace price chennault could convince thieu stay away negotiate table talk would collapse lbj would look foolish democrats 11th-hour gambit would fail.johnson democrats know happen national security agency intercept cable thieu d.c ambassador still contact nixon entourage continue favorite despite uncertainty provoke news imminent bomb halt one communiqu begin basis cable lbj order fbi tap chennault phone bureau turn conclude contact vietnamese ambassador bui diem advise receive message boss identify boss want give personally ambassador say message ambassador hold gon na win boss also say hold understand johnson mince word call treason gross violation logan act prohibit civilians negotiate foreign governments still enough firmly plant smoke gun nixon hand american people bite information election.south vietnam pull peace talk well get president nixon rest history well people remind administration begin scandal likely end scandal.the second recent instance happen few 40 years ago 1979 university students tehran iran storm american embassy take 63 american hostages hindsight kind ask 1953 cia help overthrow iran government oil instead instal shah corrupt brutal shah fell 1979 president jimmy carter allow shah seek medical treatment cancer unite state iran new leader ayatollah sayyid ruhulla musawi khomeini hat us anyway demand extradition shah could face trial carter refused.still near election appear hostage situation come resolution would nearly assure carter reelection reagan camp let happen reagan campaign manager william casey talk source close ayatollah convince delay release hostages reagan go win election hostages release inauguration day.of course detail case different detail trump/russia hack scandal would argue today bad situation help trump russia provide blackmail ammo case trump something might find agreeable though days cyber security top everyone mind russia do us dangerous terrorist act ramifications far big trump allow hostile foreign government infiltrate electronic communication almost everything next credit card information irs record individuals speak trump bottom line allow donald trump take office much stake afford another nixon even afford another reagan.featured image via sean gallup/getty image foreign governments give elections republicans decades