"You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference."
The media has always loathed Richard Nixon, an upstart Quaker from rural California who became a giant in American politics and world politics as well as President of the United States. Richard Nixon - November 7, 1962
Eventually the media succeeded in destroying his Presidency - quite possibly in their tiny minds their greatest triumph. And a great many readers will see Nixon as the epitome of corrupt and dirty politics, as if!
But it is no great surprise to find the Media trotting out anti Nixon stories on the occasion of the death of Teddy Kennedy, that great icon of Liberalism.
The contrast between the Kennedy's and Nixon could not be greater - the former were playboys born into a life of wealth and privilege whereas Nixon was born into an impoverished but strict quaker household. Two of Nixon's brothers died of tuberculosis one in childhood in the family home, the other in early adulthood when Nixon was still in high school - you could call it the "Nixon curse"...
Here is AP's anti-Nixon diatribe via Stuff: Nixon tapes: Watch Ted Kennedy
It reads as though Nixon set the secret service onto Teddy. But if you listen to the exchange another picture emerges. Teddy Kennedy asked for secret service protection and the discussion was about whether it was appropriate to provide it and the pros and cons of doing so.
Why did the press hate Nixon so? Probably because Nixon wasn't glamorous.He was a solid family man, the picture at the left was taken in the 1950s when Richard Nixon was Vice President and it shows an ideal of family life which the elites have come to despise.
There was an attempt in 1952 to attach a financial scandal to Richard Nixon but he simply opened his books to the public which showed how modest his means really were and how he was living accordingly.
And Richard Nixon's real crime was - that he was a fundamentally decent, if somewhat dour man who didn't grope waitresses and didn't appear in Public with flashy, tacky women in tow and didn't live a jet set lifestyle to provide suitable fodder for glossy magazines.
In other words a peasant who got ideas above his station.
Andrei said: "The contrast between the Kennedy's and Nixon could not be greater - the former were playboys born into a life of wealth and privilege whereas Nixon was born into an impoverished but strict quaker household."
ReplyDeleteBetter to be rich and help the poor than start poor and help the rich.
"He was a solid family man, the picture at the left was taken in the 1950s when Richard Nixon was Vice President and it shows an ideal of family life which the elites have come to despise."
It must be true then. Oh dear a photo op of the tackiest proportions where I think I can see the make-up on all four.
I can see the make-up on all four.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it Sean,Nixon was notably reticent about the use of make-up.
It is widely held that his failure to wear make-up during the televised debate with Kennedy during the 1960 campaign contributed to his defeat in
that year.
Famously
Hewitt produced a television special on the day President Kennedy was assassinated. One of Hewitt's guests on the show was Richard Nixon. The make-up man for the show was the same make-up man for the 1960 debate, whose services Nixon had declined.
Before the show, Hewitt said something along the following lines to Nixon: "Do you realize that if Franny had done your make-up for the debate, you would have been President?" To which Nixon wheeled around without a moment's hesitation and replied: "Yes, and now I'd be dead."
The Nixon's were a close family - the two little girls in that picture married, and remained close to their parents. They both are still married to their original husbands and not a whiff of scandal has ever been attached to them or their children.
The worst that has ever been said about any of them is that John Fogerty claimed his song "Fortunate Son" was inspired by David Eisenhower, Dwight Eisenhower's grandson and the husband of the older of the two girls Julie.
Incidentally even when Pat Nixon was first lady she often wore "off the wrack" clothes rather than designer ones, smart but subdued and certainly not flashy.
These are all good people Sean - despite what you have been lead to believe.
He also helped Israel in their darkest hour.
ReplyDelete---snip---
In 1973, Israel was in the brink of annihilation as 12 Arab nations had lined up their tanks, armored carriers and troops along the vast dessert against the ill-equipped Jewish army. Israel lady Prime Minister Godda Meir wrote in her diary about committing suicide because of the hopeless situation then and the clock was ticking against the Jewish people. Meir's cabinet members were set to go on exile. At 3:00 a.m. Godda Meir telephoned Pres. Richard Nixon and related the precarious situation of Israel and the defeat is a matter of time. Earlier, Meir asked the help of then Secretary of State Henry Kissenger but of no avail. Kissenger was an Australian Jew. It was the darkest day of Pres. Nixon as he was intrigued by the Watergate snafu and Congress had advised him not to enter into an adventure with foreign policy.
As Pres. Nixon talked with Prime Minister Meir, he remembered what his loving mother told him when he was still a kid listening to teachings in the Bible given by her almost every evening. “Richard, someday if you are in the position to help Israel, do it.” His mother was a Christian teacher. It was a prophetic word Nixon's mother gave him.
Meanwhile, at the Israel-Arab battlefront more than 600 Syrian tanks lined up and thousands of heavily armed troops of the other five nations were ready to strike. Nixon signed his “death warrant” according to the testimony of Bill McKay when he prepared a presidential order sending planes, Sherman tanks, weapon carriers, ammunition, etc. and within 24 hours the much needed weapons were in the hands of Israel's army.
---snip---
Israel won, of course; but they wouldn't have if not for Nixon.
Oh for goodness sake Andrei. Have a drink.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, a cutting reply that was Sean..
ReplyDeleteWhat's the matter, facts too inconvenient for you? Turn your lefty dream world upside-down, do they?
Sigh, I would have thought the semi-trollistic barbs I fired at the post were barely to be taken so seriously. But it's not so clear for some...
ReplyDeleteHm, quite a mammoth task you've taken on here!
ReplyDeleteNixon certainly wasn't squeaky clean, but then you're right in saying he wasn't as bad as was made out.
The evidence of that is (of course) right in front of everyone's nose - he did the decent thing and resigned. Clinton on the other refused to resign (there was zero doubt he was guilty - he admitted his crimes on international TV) and was impeached (but not convicted).
One is left wondering if this bashing is the fate left for Bush.