As former white house counsel John Dean walked out onto a stage being set for a musical, he started his speech with a joke that went over most students’ heads.

“This is something that those of you over 45 will understand perfectly,” said Dean. “Those of you who are not, it’s an assignment question, which is why I’m going to tell you this. Thinking of this musical, I thought ‘I only sing in front of the Senate Watergate Committee,’ so no songs today.”

John Dean, a former White House Counsel and author of Conservatives Without Conscience and Broken Government, began his key note speech for Moorpark College’s Constitution Day last Tuesday with a jab at his involvement with Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal. The speech was concluded with an open Q&A session with the audience.

After an introduction from Moorpark College President Pam Eddinger and Year of Democracy Co-chair and Journalism Professor Joanna Miller, Dean started off with a brief history on the U.S. Constitution and its importance in today’s current political climate 221 years after its inaugural signing.

“It is an outline, it is a charter, and it lays out the general frame work of our government,” Dean said.

He also went over how the concept of “freedom of speech,” one of the focal points of Constitution Day, wasn’t originally part of the Constitution. He then pointed out how this is interesting when you examine the current definition of American patriotism.

“The question of speaking out, and being patriotic, not everybody I can tell you from personal experience, feels you’re highly patriotic when you are speaking out,” said Dean.

John Dean touched on his opinion of the political figures he felt were “Nixonian,” saying that Mitt Romney has very “Nixonian” qualities, also how he felt that neither Barrack Obama or John McCain possessed any Nixon tendencies, and that “Rudy Giuliani is Nixon on crystal meth.”

He expressed his personal feelings on Sarah Palin, John McCain’s running mate. He was quick to point out that while she may at some point in time become a serious political contender, she right now does not possess the experience or know how to be become a capable vice president.

Graham Carpenter, a 17-year-old Moorpark College student, said he was glad he attended the lecture.

“I thought it was amazing when he talked about authoritarian personalities, and people who, not just leaders, but people who are willing to follow them,” Carpenter said. “That was very interesting.”