NIXON v NIXON

Nixon v Nixon


The other day we watched an HBO one-hour special about Richard Nixon.  It was based on excerpts from the voice-activated audio recording system Nixon had installed in the White House, and included archived video and story-advancing captions.

For those who lived through those days the documentary reminded us of President Nixon’s brilliance, beguiling exterior, and appeal to “the man on the street”. 

For those who were doing other things those days it reminded of much later realizations of a publicly unseen vile, vulgar, and vicious Richard Nixon.
Nixon should have been remembered for historical accomplishments, world changing decisions, and legislature leadership.  He is remembered for a thing called Watergate.  His problem was that President Richard Nixon brought Richard Nixon with him to the White House.

In run-up to 1972 election, which he would win by what actually was one of the largest margins in history, his downfall began with a crime that netted nothing.  An unknown night watchman saw evidence of what he thought might be a crime and called the cops.  This happened at the “Watergate”, one of those hotel/office buildings in D.C.  What followed will ever be known as the Watergate Scandal; and, though many found involved, is forever identified with one man.

Nixon responded as all would-be Autocrats respond:
     Stack the courts with the “right type” men (sorry, it was still about WASP men back then)
     Demean and denigrate the press -- particularly the lying NY Times and Washington Post
     Label it all a “witch hunt” and blame the Democrats for his problems

When all the facts were forced out, and all the evidence seen, a “cancer on the Presidency” was revealed:  A mass accumulation of crimes committed because the leader had established a climate of “anything to protect the President”.  All together the scandal resulted in the indictment of 69 people, with trials or pleas resulting in 48 being found guilty, many of whom were top Nixon officials.  Papers not unsealed until 40 years later indicate we may never know all the sins exposed by an unknown watchman who simply did his duty.

There came a point in the Watergate Scandal when duly elected Senators had to put honor, duty, and country above polls, politics, and Party.  It is certainly possible people of honor may still serve in Congress today, but that was not a subject of this documentary.

President Richard Nixon was the first -- and so far only -- President to resign the office.  But the American Presidency survived.  Survived because of things Richard Nixon did not do:
      Nixon did not force his Party to defend his un-defendable actions
      Nixon did not abandon faithful allies or armies in the field of battle
      Nixon did not make worthless the Word of the United States of America

Richard Nixon could have been remembered as a great President, but he brought Richard Nixon with him to the White House.
      So there he was.
      And here we are.

“He who has ears to hear let him hear”