Richard Nixon
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- Vice President to:
General Dwight D. Eisenhower - Republican,
from Texas.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower served 1953 - 1961. He died in 1969, at the age of 79.
- Dates Served: Nixon served as Vice President from 1953 - 1961.
- Political Party: Nixon was a Republican, from California.
- Born: 1913.
- Died: 1994, at the age of 81.
- The presidential opponent during both the 1952 and 1956 campaigns was:
- Campaign issues:
- During the 1952 campaign:
- This year the issue was Communists and how many were hiding under your bed.
Eisenhower played upon the anger of many who resented Truman for having fired
their hero MacArthur in Korea. As a war hero himself, Ike waved the flag of
patriotism and vowed "to clean up the mess in Washington", perhaps the most
common pledge in every campaign year. He left it to his candidate
for Veep to run the dirty politics, which Nixon was an acknowledged master
at. He accused the Truman Administration of having spent the past 4 years
wallowing in "Communism, Corruption, and Korea". His good buddy, Joseph
McCarthy, waved his list of known Commie spies at every opportunity, but this
often worked against Eisenhower, whose military colleagues were beginning to
be accused of Communist indiscretions. Adlai Stevenson ran his campaign by
telling voters that the Republican Party had "to be dragged kicking and
screaming into the 20th Century" and that the Democrats understood the new
world order better. But Eisenhower made his famous pledge "I will go to Korea",
to help dislodge the stalled peace talks which caught the attention of voters.
He also benefitted from television, which showed Ike as an affable, likeable
guy compared to Stevenson's more formal, intellectual image. Stevenson was
fighting an uphill battle against America's newest war hero, and he took a
dive on election day, loosing by a wide margin. The GOP was back in power for
the first time in 20 years.
- During the 1956 campaign:
- This year there might as well not have been a campaign. Everyone liked Ike
and they weren't about to dump him. The economy was booming and America was
the most powerful nation on earth. The Democrats ran Adlai Stevenson as their
candidate again and he tried to get a few bites by making an issue out of
Eisenhower's recent heart attack, as well as calling for an end to the Draft
and a limit to nuclear testing. But it all fell on deaf ears. The post-War
world was a tense place and Americans wanted a proven professional at the
helm. Stevenson lost by an embarassing margin.
- Notable Facts about Richard Nixon:
- Richard Nixon was a seventh-cousin, twice-removed of President Taft, and an
eighth-cousin, once-removed of President Hoover.
- Religious affiliation: Nixon was a Quaker, a member of the Friends Meeting of
East Whittier in California. However, during his terms as President he attended
churches of a variety of denominations. He wasn't a true-blue Quaker, however,
since he rejected the Quaker stance on Pacificm, enlisting in World War II and
later aggressively commiting troops to Vietnam. He also didn't subscribe to the
Quaker stance against the swearing of oaths, when he took his oaths of office in his
various roles as Congressman, Vice President, and then President. Nixon's eighth-cousin
Herbert Hoover was also a Quaker, and he had replaced the word "affirm" in his oath
where he was asked to say "swear" in order to not compromise his Quaker beliefs, but
Nixon didn't bother with this. Nixon referred to his religious beliefs when explaining
his opposition to Abortion, but in other aspects of his public life religion doesn't appear
to have played much of an obvious role in his decisions.
- Originally a lawyer, Nixon practiced law in Whittier, California. In 1940 he co-founded
a company that manufactured frozen orange juice, serving as company President. The business
went under after only 2 years. After working for a few months in a tire-rotating company
in Washington he quit and joined the Navy, where he remained throughout World War II until
1946, serving with the Pacific fleet.
A point of dubious relevance: After finishing Basic Training, Nixon was posted for 6 months
as an aid at a Naval Air base in Ottumwa, Iowa, which was also the home-town of the fictional
character Radar O'Reilly on the TV show "MASH".
- In 1947, Nixon was elected to the US House of Representatives, representing California from
1947 - 1950. During this time Nixon made a name for himself as an anti-Communist crusader,
being named Chairman of the new House Un-American Activities Special Subcommittee. Nixon went
on the prowl, digging up dirt on anyone even remotely accused of being a spy, such as Alger Hiss,
a former State Department official, and succeeded in getting him convicted of perjury due to the
discovery of a hollow pumpkin.
(Click here for more details). He also sponsored a bill that required
all Communist organizations in the US to register with the government, and made it a crime "to aid the
immediate or ultimate objectives of the world Communist movement".
- In 1951 Nixon was elected to the US Senate, representing California from 1951 - 1953.
During his Senate campaign, Nixon was running against one of his House colleagues,
Helen Douglas. Showing his early grasp of smear-tactics, Nixon had flooded the state
of California with half a million so-called "pink sheets" that claimed to prove that his
opponent's voting record while in the House of Representatives showed that she was really
a closet Communist and therefore dangerous to America. Nixon nicknamed her "The Pink Lady",
in reference to her supposed "Red sympathies". After winning the election, newspapers started
referring to Nixon as "Tricky Dick" because of his style of politics, a nickname that he
never lived down. Nixon was 38 when he won, becoming the youngest-ever US Senator.
During his term as Senator, Nixon served on fellow-Senator Jospeh McCarthy's Communist
witch-hunt hearings. He joined McCarthy in lambasting the Truman administration for not
being hard enough on the Communists and especially for firing General MacArthur in Korea.
Nixon was one of McCarthy's most effective anti-Communist crusaders.
- In 1953 General Dwight Eisenhower was running for President, with Truman having decided not to
run for re-election. He chose Nixon as his running-mate partly because Nixon was from a Western
state which balanced the ticket geographically, but mostly because of Nixon's well-known reputation
for being a committed Conservative and vigilant anti-Communist crusader. During the campaign
a story appeared in newspapers that claimed that Nixon had been secretly keeping a "slush fund"
of around $18,000 which he had been receiving under the table in the Senate from secret contributors.
The story was widely reported and was making Eisenhower look bad and he seriously considered
dumping Nixon from the ticket. But he gave Nixon one chance to publicly respond to the charges, and
told him that in order to remain on the ticket he had to "come out as clean as a hound's tooth."
Nixon appeared on national television in September and redeemed his reputation with his so-called
"Checkers Speech". He spent an emotional half an hour admitting to the fund's existence but claimed
that it wasn't for his personal use, only to pay for his "political expenses". He didn't want to
charge American taxpayers for his expenses so he was actually doing America a favor by keeping the
secret contributions. He went on to list all of his personal assets, like his car and his house and
his life insurance, listing off the value of each to show that he was not wealthy. He then ended his
speech with
the admission that he had received one frivolous gift that he didn't intend to return. It was a small
dog that his 6-year old daughter had named "Checkers". He described how much his daughter loved the
dog and how it would break her heart to take it away, and how he didn't think his viewers would
disapprove of something so American as a family having a dog. His speech warmed the cockles of
America's heart and letters of support poured into Republican leaders' mailboxes by the truck-load and
Eisenhower decided to keep Nixon on the ticket.
- During Nixon's 2 terms as VP, he traveled a lot but wasn't well-liked in many places, with people
spitting on him on a trip to South America in 1958. In 1959 he made his famous trip to Moscow,
holding a public debate with Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev about the pros and cons of Communist
and Capitalist societies, with Krushchev getting more than a little hot under the collar. Nixon
also presided over Eisenhower's Cabinet meetings in his absence, including during Eisenhower's heart
attack in 1955.
- In spite of his busy schedule, President Eisenhower was once asked to name a contribution to any major
policy decision that Vice President Nixon had made, and he replied, "If you give me a week, I might
think of one."
- In 1960 Nixon ran for President against John F. Kennedy but lost by a razor-thin margin of around
100,000 votes out of 68 million cast. It was a memorable campaign, involving the first-ever televised
debate between Presidential candidates. Nixon had banged his knee on a car door and developed an
infection, laying in the hospital for 2 weeks receiving antibiotics. When he was released he went
straight into the debate, looking haggard and evil-looking, making Kennedy look dashing and more
Presidential. It was enough to tip the close election to Kennedy.
- After his loss against Kennedy, Nixon decided to try his hand at running for Governor of California
in 1962,
but lost against the Democratic candidate, Pat Brown. Nixon was pretty miffed at this point, seemingly
unable to do anything right, and after being trounced at the polls he held his most famous press-conference.
He angrily lashed out at the reporters saying he knew how happy they were to see him lose again.
He said, "For 16 years, ever since the Hiss case, you've had a lot of fun. You've had an opportunity to
attack me and I think I've given as good as I've taken. But as I leave you I want you to know, just
think how much you're going to be missing. You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore. Because,
gentlemen, this is my last press conference." Yeah right...
- For the following 5 years, from 1963 - 1968, Nixon returned to real work and practiced law, taking
time to campaign for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 Presidential campaign.
- In 1968 Nixon came out of political retirement and decided to take another chance at being President,
which made the press happy because they now had Nixon back to kick around again. Competing against
other popular Republican candidates, like Ronald Reagan and Nelson Rockefeller, Nixon won the Party's
nomination, with Maryland Governor Spiro Agnew as his running-mate. He ran on a platform of winning
the war in Vietnam, increasing Defense spending, and reducing taxes. He ran against then-Vice President
Hubert Humphrey and third-party candidate George Wallace and won against both by a comfortable margin.
- Nixon's mastery of dirty politics hadn't waned, and he conducted his Presidency with a masterful
combination of Foreign Policy Statesmanship and secret, back-room dirty politics. Nixon conducted
successful negotiations with the Communist Chinese government but had to withdraw from Vietnam without
winning. He held summits with the Soviets and presided over the first moon-landings, but behind the
scenes Nixon ordered offices bugged, smear-campaigns launched, informants payed off, and
offices broken into. This last hobby was to be his undoing. In addition, Nixon had a thing for
tape-recorders and he recorded too many of his conversations, later revealing the depth of his
underhanded methods. The Watergate scandal exploded in his face, the nation grew cynical, and Nixon
resigned in disgrace on August 9, 1974. Click here for more details.
- Nixon left Washington, turning over the Presidency to his Vice President Gerald Ford (Spiro Agnew had
resigned earlier as a result of his very own scandal). Nixon moved back to California, settling down in
San Clemente, one very depressed ex-President. His spirits picked up a bit when President Ford pardoned
him for all crimes he had committed, but it blew Ford's chances for any second term. Nixon spent a lot
of time trying to get his Watergate tapes back but didn't succeed.
- In 1980 Nixon testified at a trial of 2 former FBI agents who were accused of breaking into homes without
warrants at Nixon's orders, and Nixon admitted to having given those orders. Of course, because of Ford's
pardon, he was free to admit past crimes since he was immune from prosecution.
- In 1985 Nixon served as mediator in a contract-dispute between the Major League Baseball franchises and the
Baseball Umpire Association. Nixon may have lost the war between South and North Vietnam, but at least he
could mediate a baseball dispute.
- During President Reagan's 2 terms in office Nixon was "welcomed back" to Washington, since Reagan had
defended Nixon throughout his Watergate troubles. Nixon appeared with Administration officials on a few
occassions, but not enough to appear smug, and rarely spoke to Reagan himself.
- Nixon died in 1994 after slipping into a coma, dying within 7 days.
Notable Events during his Vice Presidency:
- End of the Korean War, in 1953. In December of 1952 Eisenhower fulfilled his campaign-promise to personally
go to Korea to revive the dead peace-talks. In July of the following year a cease-fire was called in the
city of Panmunjom, with the signing of the Armistice. It called for the creation of a Demilitarized Zone
between the 2 Koreas at the 38th Parallel, basically the same border that had separated the 2 countries
prior to the war. It was seen as a success for the UN and a relief that modern warfare could be conducted
without using nuclear weapons. But the 2 countries remain technically at war to this day, with the border
between the countries being the most heavily militarized in the world.
- The fall of McCarthy, 1954. Senator McCarthy continued his Communist witch-hunt on into the Eisenhower
Administration, intimidating witnesses to rat on their friends, including members of the military who
Eisenhower had long worked with. However, once his hearings began to be televised his support quickly
diminished, with many Americans disapproving of his bulldog tactics. The Senate voted to censure McCarthy
and his dubious career was over.
- The Domino Theory. The French had been in their former colonies in Indo-China trying to keep the peace against
an increasing number of Communist rebels, but weren't having much luck. In 1954 they asked the US to provide
air-support during their assault against Communist rebels holed up in Dienbienphu, Vietnam. Eisenhower turned
down their request, but admitted that he was worried about Communist activity in the area. He said, "You have
a row of dominoes set up and you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty
that it will go over very quickly. So you have a beginning of a disintegration that would have the most profound
influences." Instead, he offered US aid in the form of advisors to the government of South Vietnam.
- Shemp Howard, part-time Stooge, dies on Nov. 23, 1955.
- The Eisenhower Doctrine. With the Soviets leaning ever harder on Berlin and crushing a Democratic movement in
Hungary in 1956, Eisenhower defined a foreign policy agenda where the US promised to come to the aid of any
country in danger of Communist revolution. Based on this, Eisenhower sent US troops to Beirut, Lebanon in
1958 to prop up their pro-West government.
- Interstate Highway System, 1956. The idea for an interstate highway system was first proposed back in 1918 by
General John Pershing, but it wasn't until 1956 that the plan was authorized with public funds. Eisenhower
signed a law that called for the construction of 42,000 miles of interstate highways connecting the country,
which would take decades to complete.
- August 2, 1956, the last surviving Union Army veteran from the Civil War dies: Albert Woolson of Duluth Minnesota, age 109. The last surviving Confederate Army veteran from the Civil War dies 3 years later.
- The Suez Canal Crisis, in 1956. On October 31, France and Britain jointly attack Egypt, after Egypt seizes the
Suez Canal in retaliation for Western aid to Israel. In response, Egypt sinks all 40 boats currently passing
through canal.
- Eisenhower and Nixon easily win a second term against two-time Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson, grandson
of President Cleveland's second Vice President of the same name, on Nov. 6, 1956.
- Civil Rights violence in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957. The Supreme Court issued a desegregation ruling that
ordered all public schools to begin admitting black students. Violence erupted in the town of Little Rock,
Arkansas, with its citizens refusing to comply. Eisenhower sent in soldiers to enforce the ruling, escorting
many black students to and from school. In 1960 the Civil Rights Act defined punitive sanctions against any
local government officials in any state who obstructed black people trying to register their children in public
schools or trying to vote.
- The USSR launches Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. The Space Age officially begins.
- On the exact same day as Sputnik is launched, the US launches "Leave it to Beaver", which premiers on Oct. 4, 1957.
- The film "Plan 9 from Outer Space" is released in 1958, marking a dubious achievement in the history of
film. Ironically, the film features a character known simply as "The Ruler", played by an actor named
John Breckinridge, the name of President Buchanan's Vice President from 1857 - 1861!
Their relationship remains undetermined.
- On January 31, 1958 the United States responds to the Russian "artifical moon" by launching it's very first
satellite, Explorer I. The space-race was on.
- Communist Revolution in Cuba, January 1959. Led by Fidel Castro, Communist rebels overthrew the government
in Cuba and "nationalized" $2 billion worth of American assets in their country. Eisenhower responded by
severing all diplomatic relations with Cuba and placing an embargo against the country, which remains in
place to this day. The US now had a Communist country only 90 miles off-shore, basically in their "backyard".
- Barbie is created by Ruth Handler in 1959. Barbie's full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts.
- December 19, 1959, the last surviving Confederate Army veteran from the Civil War dies: Walter Williams of Houston, Texas, age 117.
- Alaska and Hawaii both admitted into the Union, in 1959. The current 50 State Union was now complete. Vermont
had been the first state to be added to the original 13 Colonies, and Hawaii was last, covering 168 years of State
building. Who will be next? Canada perhaps?
- The U2 incident. In 1960 Paris was hosting a high-level East-West political summit. 2 weeks prior to its
beginning the Soviet Union shot down a spy-plane that was flying over its territory. It was a new high-altitude
U2 airplane piloted by an American, Gary Powers. He survived and parachuted into the hands of the Soviets,
who promptly tried him for espionage. The Eisenhower Administration awkwardly defended the need for mutual
surveillance to the American public and gave awkward explanations to the Soviets prior to the summit. Powers
was eventually returned to the US in 1962, in exchange for a Soviet spy the US had been holding, but the incident
didn't exactly warm the already ice-cold relations between the 2 countries.
- "The Flintstones" premiers, on Sept. 30, 1960.