Nixon Library Opens a Door Some Would Prefer Left Closed

Platapus · 04-01-11, 03:33 PM

Watergate is part of the Nixon history. Glad the library is addressing this.

04-01-11, 03:55 PM

I remember lieing on the floor in Kalamazoo Michigan, off Stadium Drive watching the hearings.

Nixon certainly made mistakes, but he at least had the personal honor to resign. If only a few Democratic presidents had the same honor........

Bakkels · 04-01-11, 04:10 PM

Two posts and already the word 'Republican' or 'Democrat' is mentioned.
Political preferences aside; he broke the law. As a president. He lied about it and covered it op. Republican or democrat, I call somebody like that a crook.

vienna · 04-01-11, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Nixon certainly made mistakes, but he at least had the personal honor to resign. If only a few Democratic presidents had the same honor........

He hardly did an honorable act. He persisted in maintainig his position long after his activities in the planning of illegal acts and the subsequent attempts to abuse the powers of his office to conceal his and his accomplices' acts and to intimidate critics and investigators. If he had been at all honorable, he would have immediately owned up to his crimes, resigned and manfully faced the consequences of his actions. Instead, he struggled to cling to his power all the whille compounding his guilt. When he did resign, he did so only after a deal had been secured to pardon him for his crime while he left his most loyal accomplices and supporters to face prosecution and prison ("twisting slowly in the wind" is the phrase I recall Nixon once used to describe a similar situation regarding one of his enemies). As current news illustrates, petty cowards, political tyrants, and just plain empowered bullies are prone to overstay their welcome... or, as Gerald Ford put it "a long national nightmare"...

It is indeed a contrast to Nixon that his predecessor, Lyndon Johnson, who faced with growing opposition to his policies, rather than put the nation through a even further divisive re-election campaign, chose instead to let the people of the U.S., through the ballot, to decide the course of their future. Sadly, they made an ill choice. I recall seeing an interview Johnson did after he left office (and during the beginnings of the "America, Love It or Leave It" fervor) where the interviewer asked why he didn't just hold out and make his policies "America's Policies". He responded that he could have wrapped himself in the Flag and probably would have won re-election, but it would have been wrong. He said his policies were just that -- his policies. If the people of the U.S. were so opposed to his ideas and actions, they deserved the chance to effect a change.

He was an honorable man...

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'Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.' Ben Franklin

"When fascism comes to America, it will be win the wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross." --Sinclair Lewis

04-01-11, 04:57 PM

Lyndon Johnson. I think you are the first fella I've known to defend him as a honorable man. You may be right for the reason you put forth, this place is bad, get out (like Sarah Palin). I have to think on Lyndon Johnson more.

vienna · 04-01-11, 05:06 PM

I'm not saying Lyndon Johnson was a great man. I did have serious qualms about some aspects of his political actions. Some persons have called him an "ass" and worse. He may have been. But, ultimately, he owned to who he was and what he did. I might not like someone or their actions, but I do respect those who will own up and accept their fate. A person may be an s.o.b, but if he owns up to it, you know where you stand and you can proceed from a position of respect for their honesty. In conrast to Nixon, the facts speak for themselves.

bookworm_020 · 04-01-11, 10:01 PM

I remember seeing interviews with the staff of the Nixon Library on the Frost/Nixon DVD. You could see they were trying to put Nixon in the best light possible and downplay any wrong doing (not the only people who have tried to do that for their former leading light!)

If it sticks to the known facts, doesn't shield away telling the truth and explaining both sides of the story, then they can't ask for much more!

04-01-11, 03:33 PM	#1
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,377 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Watergate is part of the Nixon history. Glad the library is addressing this. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

04-01-11, 04:10 PM	#3
Bakkels Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Posts: 709 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 6	Two posts and already the word 'Republican' or 'Democrat' is mentioned. Political preferences aside; he broke the law. As a president. He lied about it and covered it op. Republican or democrat, I call somebody like that a crook. __________________ My sh3 skins : http://www.gamefront.com/files/user/Bakkels Or go to the sh3 downloads section > skins

04-01-11, 10:01 PM	#7
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I remember seeing interviews with the staff of the Nixon Library on the Frost/Nixon DVD. You could see they were trying to put Nixon in the best light possible and downplay any wrong doing (not the only people who have tried to do that for their former leading light!) If it sticks to the known facts, doesn't shield away telling the truth and explaining both sides of the story, then they can't ask for much more! __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

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04-01-11, 03:55 PM	#2
The Third Man Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I remember lieing on the floor in Kalamazoo Michigan, off Stadium Drive watching the hearings. Nixon certainly made mistakes, but he at least had the personal honor to resign. If only a few Democratic presidents had the same honor........

04-01-11, 04:57 PM	#5
The Third Man Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Lyndon Johnson. I think you are the first fella I've known to defend him as a honorable man. You may be right for the reason you put forth, this place is bad, get out (like Sarah Palin). I have to think on Lyndon Johnson more.

04-01-11, 05:06 PM	#6
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,715 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	I'm not saying Lyndon Johnson was a great man. I did have serious qualms about some aspects of his political actions. Some persons have called him an "ass" and worse. He may have been. But, ultimately, he owned to who he was and what he did. I might not like someone or their actions, but I do respect those who will own up and accept their fate. A person may be an s.o.b, but if he owns up to it, you know where you stand and you can proceed from a position of respect for their honesty. In conrast to Nixon, the facts speak for themselves.