RICHARD M. NIXON... THE FORGOTTEN PRESIDENT

More than 40 years later, the name Richard Nixon comes to the fore. American Experience, on PBS has brought back the ghost of "Tricky Dicky." It is unreal and makes LBJ look like an altar boy. Man, we still have Nixon to kick around! It is unreal.


 I happened to trip over this documentary more than two hours ago. From the get-go, Nixon wasn't ever the one in my books. I am a limousine liberal on certain things. Traditional schools of political thought kept the poor in the back row of hopeful prosperity. So be it.


Kennedy whipped Nixon in 1960 and the Californians whipped Nixon in his hope for a gubernatorial rise. Poor Checkers! But the tricky politician squeaked by Hubert Humphry in 1968, the year I returned from the war in Vietnam. Demonstrations flooded the Land. Nixon lied and the war went on and on and on.




His deceit was fourscore. Bombing  action in Cambodia and Vietnam brought out the worst in the American soul the Hawks versus the Doves The B-52s rained bombs over Hanoi and elsewhere. The deeaths of American boys...such a nightmare.. ended up being buried in all 50 states. Over 50,000 deaths. Me? I was "One Lucky Soldier!"


 And then things went from bad to worse. All of this International Diplomacy was in the name of money. Many don't realize Rev. Norman Vincent Peale married Nixon's daughter, Tricia. I am sure The President and the Rev. Peale discussed money! Then there was Spiro Anew. Such a contrast to JFK. Then, finally WATERGATE.




I get sick just thinking of how much history was exhumed tonight. I have always maintained "the nature of politics can be corruption." You decide.




On the brighter side of tonight's showing I did see David Broder, Howard Baker and others I've met. The shades of night are falling so I must close; 10.54 PM.