Capturing the last days of Nixon's controversial presidency
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- čas přidán 6. 08. 2014
- Friday marks the 40-year anniversary of President Richard Nixon's resignation after his role in the Watergate cover-up was exposed. Ben Tracy talks with two men who captured behind-the-scenes moments in photographs and audio, revealing more about those fateful last days.
It's better for the president to resign.
I thought he would give better advice than "don't resign no matter what".
Dude, resigning was the easiest way out...
If you haven't, I suggest you read Evan Thomas' biography of Nixon. I never knew Nixon was so near death around the time of his resignation. The stress he had underwent resulted in him developing a blood clot and a swelled up leg in San Clemente (where he first stayed at after resigning), and him going to the emergency room. Doctors weren't sure if he was going to make it. (He may have gone to the emergency room while still president, but I think I remember it being after he resigned.)
Regarding Nixon's crimes, from what I remember so please kindly correct me if I'm wrong, it had to do with the coverup of the Watergate break-in. The Kennedys possibly stole the 1960 presidential election from Nixon, the D.C. news media was out to get him because Nixon wasn't their guy (even Thomas admits this), and you had riots and pipe bombs going off around the United States. So Nixon fought back dirty. At first it wasn't illegal, just like certain tactics of Nixon's enemies weren't illegal (such as the news media ignoring a slush fund account in the Democratic presidential nominee's campaign while focusing on Nixon's supposed slush fund account, later proven to be false during the Checkers speech). As a result, Nixon's reelection machine ordered the Plumbers to get made and it was they who independently decided to do the break-in. Afterwards, Nixon tried to cover it up since he didn't want his guys going to jail. (He also didn't want to get caught, but he seems to have been genuinely concerned about members of his team.) So he ordered the CIA to try to cover it up. THAT was what would've gotten Nixon thrown into prison if he didn't resign. THAT was the illegal thing he did. Now when you compare this to Hillary Clinton's emails, the possible pay for play scandals with the Clintons and Bidens, Watergate doesn't seem so bad. Just goes to show you how much our country has fallen, or at least how much dirt has been happening all along that we are just finding out about.
What really damaged Nixon, IMO, was his aloofness. He changed his campaigning style from a rock 'em, sock 'em sort of campaign that he was used to in the '40s and '50s, transforming himself into a sort of elder stateman figure. He also built a wall around him to limit access from acquaintances and friends. He would even talk in the third person once he became president. This resulted him in being able to pull off some wonderous achievements:
1. Triangular diplomacy by dividing the USSR and communist China, playing them against one another and thus resulting in a scaling back of tensions between the Big 3 super powers;
2. Pulling out of the Vietnam war, ending the draft (all-volunteer force) and scaling back military spending for the first time in years;
3. Outflanking liberals on environmentalism, desegregation and price controls (many would consider Nixon a liberal nowadays; he was no Reagan or Goldwater);
4. However, his most brilliant achievement would've been the one squashed by the establishment - namely, the creation of a third political party in the United States that would run Nixon's favorite cabinet member, Democrat-turned-Nixon-ally, John Connally. "Connally had quit as secretary of the Treasury that spring, but Nixon still saw 'Big Jawn' as his successor in 1976, possibly to build a whole new political party around the Silent Majority" (399, "Being Nixon" by Evan Thomas).
Nixon had viral pneumonia in 1973.
I hope no other president has to resign under any circumstances- Richard nixon #37🇺🇸. He was a congressman, a senator, a Vice president, and a President He served our country well
46 years later, the latest season of America ups the drama.
It is sad that Nixon didn't have Fox News to defend him. He also didn't have Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, etc. to defend him. Back then, we only had 3 channels (CBS, NBC, ABC), and all of them were basically giving the same news. Cable television was unheard of.
Back when they had the fairness doctrine, up until Reagan.
Those people not being around was good, actually
@TheGhostWithin Compared to Carter, Bush Jr., Obama, even Trump, Nixon was actually a good president.
Get on shut up get out and try not to leave a trail of slime behind you
was not fired he quit. they gained up on him by a crook that the house got now
It was dear...and it wasn't a pope or a confession to the plight. She was so blind. And she had not known as bragged the entire thoughts you encourage. A case that was controlled...ruin my bad reputation...is the law gets as guilty? Led in and out by works of some invented media too. Not as direct..
I should write a book..
Nixon is a strong and one of a kind President. We need someone like that now.
Quote by SENATOR ROBERT F. KENNEDY (June 4,1968 Ambassador Hotel) ~
"Richard Nixon is the nominee of the Republican Party which I think is unacceptable to the country."
Bobby hates him
I hope Trump resign
He will probably need to be impeached but I don't see him lasting 4 years.
I hope acosio Cortez will resing for screwing up New York and the rest of America
Hasn't happened yet. Resignation won't happen. Impeachment won't happen. Keep dreaming.
He doesn’t have the decency. He will be impeached, told to leave, and still he won’t leave. Just watch. We will probably not see on TV how he will ultimately leave. ✋
@@the_gp9_802 with your grammar, I think you're a Russian troll