Skip to main content

Howard Baker

Howard Baker
Usage Conditions Apply
Artist
Robert Grossman, born 1940
Sitter
Howard Henry Baker, Jr., 15 Nov 1925 - 26 Jun 2014
Date
1982
Type
Painting
Medium
Paint on paperboard
Dimensions
50.8cm x 24.9cm (20" x 9 13/16"), Accurate
Topic
Architecture\Building\Capitol\US Capitol
Architecture\Building\White House
Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Necktie
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Male
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Law and Crime\Lawyer
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Politics and Government\Diplomat\Ambassador
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Military and Intelligence\Navy\Officer
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Politics and Government\US Senator\Tennessee
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Politics and Government\US Senator\Majority Leader
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Politics and Government\Chief of Staff
Howard Henry Baker, Jr.: Presidential Medal of Freedom
Portrait
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Robert Grossman
Object number
NPG.84.TC90
Exhibition Label
This Time cover portrait portrays Tennessee Republican Senator Howard Baker as an effective majority leader, adept at resolving confrontations between the “sparring” White House and Congress. As vice chair of the Senate Watergate Committee, he famously asked the key question on June 28, 1973: “What did the president know, and when did he know it?”
In July 1973, Alexander Butterfield, an aid to the president, disclosed the existence of the Oval Office taping system to the Senate Watergate Committee. As the hearings played out, it became clear that the scope of presidential power was at stake. Chief of Staff John Ehrlichman argued that the president could do almost anything in the name of national security, including authorizing burglaries. Ultimately, in United States v. Nixon (1974), the Supreme Court decided unanimously that executive privilege was something to be defined by the courts, not the president.
Esta portada de la revista presenta al senador republicano por Tennessee Howard Baker como un efectivo líder de la mayoría, versado en la resolución de conflictos entre los “antagonistas”: la Casa Blanca y el Congreso. Como vicepresidente del Comité del Senado para el caso Watergate, realizó la famosa pregunta clave el 28 de junio de 1973: “¿Qué tanto sabía el presidente y cuándo se enteró?”
En julio de 1973, Alexander Butterfield, un asesor presidencial, reveló la existencia del sistema de grabación del despacho oval ante el Comité del Senado para el caso Watergate. Con el avance de las audiencias, se hizo evidente que el alcance del poder presidencial estaba en juego. El jefe de gabinete, John Ehrlichman, sostuvo que el presidente podía hacer casi cualquier cosa en nombre de la seguridad nacional, incluida la autorización de robos. En última instancia, en el caso Estados Unidos versus Nixon (1974), la Corte Suprema decidió de forma unánime que el privilegio ejecutivo debía ser definido por las cortes y no por el presidente.
Collection Description
In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.
En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Location
Currently not on view