Richard Nixon

My relationship with Richard Nixon has always been wierd. In the 1960 election, I wore campaign buttons supporting Nixon, then in 1971 I marched in Washington D.C. to shut down his government. Finally in 1974 I celebrated the resignation. Although, I didn't celebrate as much as my friend Meang.

During the election of 1968, my politics were changing. I had grown up Repubican, but in the liberal atmophere of college, I was backsliding into Democrat. I started out wanted Nixon to win, but then I was disappointed when Hubert Humphrey lost. In 1970, my politics became more militant. I joined some local war protests. This became a hotter issue for me after the deaths at nearby Kent State. I became a leader in the anti-war demonstrations, helping organize them and passing out leaflets. My politics turned decidedly left. After a born-again experience in the summer of 1971, I mellowed out. I still felt the war in Viet Nam was wrong, but my my priorities changed to converting hearts. I remember playing ping pong in our Jesus house and watching TV during the "ping-pong diplomacy" of 1971/2. I did approve of his reapproachment with China.

I should have voted in the 1972 elections. (I was 22) But my life was in flux. I was driving cross country and just happen to be in South Dakota, when I heard that George McGovern, had lost the election, even losing his home state. When I was in the Peace Corps in Korea, I was hungry for every bit of American news. I became a radio news junky, this news addiction became more pronounced as Watergate began to unravel. Tricky Dick was such great drama and entertainment. And as far as I was concerned, it had a happy ending. Who would have thought it? Richard Nixon was gone.


Events from the Nixon Administration.

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Go the next president, Gerald Ford.