Wow. Forty years ago today Richard Nixon resigned the presidency. I remember where I was, even what I was wearing. Such a complex man. "Jews." "We are all Keynesians." "Stonewall." "I am not a crook." Tragic.
Strongest human being I've ever known of. Very socially awkward yet a whole career in the public eye. Tremendous strength required there. The guy was in our lives forever, literally for me since the day I was born. He was already vice president. Course I didn't know of him then, I don't think I knew of him until 1968. He just would not go away. He was a major figure in the 1950's and then everybody thought he was gone when he lost the 1960 election. Then everybody really thought he was gone when he lost the California state house in 1962, even him: "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore." He didn't give up, he didn't go away. He quietly, relentlessly worked Republicans, official by official and then in '68 he was back. Won the damn presidency. Jesus Christ. Wasted McGovern in '72. Was never going to lose to McGovern but still did Watergate. Weird. Terribly flawed man. But flawed implies good, doesn't it? Like a flawed diamond? Otherwise good? Nixon did some good. Created EPA. The opening to China...I don't know how good that was. But it was strong! Bold.
Nixon's whole public life was filled with drama. The anti-Communist witch hunts, the Checkers speech, the defeats and comebacks, Watergate, China. Jesus Christ. No drama Obama he weren't. By the time he resigned I knew who he was! Honest to God, you couldn't have a discussion of any length without Nixon coming up, maybe just an "Argh, Nixon" but he was on our minds constantly. Family gatherings, there he was. Parties, he was there. You try to hit on a girl, "Hey, wanna go out Saturday?" "What about Nixon?" We were obsessed with him. There was like a nervous collapse after he resigned. We did weird things after he resigned. Jerry Ford--Whoops! Fell down again. Bumped my head again. We started wearing leisure suits. Baseball players wore shorts. Disco. Jimmy Carter. We didn't know what we were doing, we didn't have Nixon to kick around anymore.
Strongest human being I've ever known of. Very socially awkward yet a whole career in the public eye. Tremendous strength required there. The guy was in our lives forever, literally for me since the day I was born. He was already vice president. Course I didn't know of him then, I don't think I knew of him until 1968. He just would not go away. He was a major figure in the 1950's and then everybody thought he was gone when he lost the 1960 election. Then everybody really thought he was gone when he lost the California state house in 1962, even him: "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore." He didn't give up, he didn't go away. He quietly, relentlessly worked Republicans, official by official and then in '68 he was back. Won the damn presidency. Jesus Christ. Wasted McGovern in '72. Was never going to lose to McGovern but still did Watergate. Weird. Terribly flawed man. But flawed implies good, doesn't it? Like a flawed diamond? Otherwise good? Nixon did some good. Created EPA. The opening to China...I don't know how good that was. But it was strong! Bold.
Nixon's whole public life was filled with drama. The anti-Communist witch hunts, the Checkers speech, the defeats and comebacks, Watergate, China. Jesus Christ. No drama Obama he weren't. By the time he resigned I knew who he was! Honest to God, you couldn't have a discussion of any length without Nixon coming up, maybe just an "Argh, Nixon" but he was on our minds constantly. Family gatherings, there he was. Parties, he was there. You try to hit on a girl, "Hey, wanna go out Saturday?" "What about Nixon?" We were obsessed with him. There was like a nervous collapse after he resigned. We did weird things after he resigned. Jerry Ford--Whoops! Fell down again. Bumped my head again. We started wearing leisure suits. Baseball players wore shorts. Disco. Jimmy Carter. We didn't know what we were doing, we didn't have Nixon to kick around anymore.
