Column: What I learned about myself at the Richard M. Nixon museum

latimes ^ | 01/16/2023 | NICHOLAS GOLDBERG

[ChicagoConservative27]

In the house where I grew up, President Nixon was a villain. My parents voted against him every opportunity they got, and we all cheered when he resigned during his second term, flying off in ignominy from the White House lawn to a life outside the public eye.

That he was a criminal, a warmonger, a bigot, a vicious redbaiter, a threat to the Constitution — these were unquestionable truths.

So for me, a recent visit to the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda was a head-turning, mind-bending experience that challenged my assumptions and forced me to test my long-hardened opinions against a very different narrative.

Some people don’t like having their assumptions challenged. I decided to embrace it.

I didn’t go to the museum because of this month’s historic anniversaries. But for the record, January 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords that led Nixon to withdraw American troops from Vietnam, and the 50th anniversary of the trial of the Watergate burglars before U.S. District Court Judge John J. Sirica.

Vietnam and Watergate were central issues of my political formation. I was young in the Nixon years — only 16 when he resigned in 1974 — but I marched against the war and followed the Watergate hearings on television, with appropriate revulsion.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I.

Don’t.

Care.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Orange Man Bad.

[Nifster]

I am somewhat to the left of VP Nixon but very far to the right of Pres Nixon

[LouAvul]

Well said.

[exnavy]

The CIA has conducted three coup d’eta. Kennedy, nixon and trump.

[rockrr]

In the house where I grew up, President Nixon was a villain.

For me it was Kennedy. I still remember when he was shot my grandmother saying "The SOB got what he deserved".

[the OlLine Rebel]

Yes, I read the whole thing and he’s still a liberal.

But maybe he doesn’t knee-jerk spew revulsion regarding Nixon or anyone who likes him.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

It WAS abut national security. The Congress and Senate should have been pinning medals on President Nixon and his entire staff, including those who broke into the Watergate. They were, in fact, trying to keep an known-communist, ( communist-bitch McGovern, ) out of the White House.

[God luvs America]

Nixon was recorded on the famous White House tapes saying Washington “is full of Jews,” and “most Jews are disloyal” and “you can’t trust the bastards.” But if those recordings were mentioned at the museum, I missed them.

Just as you will miss the “F’ing Jew Bastards” quote at the Clinton Museum.

---

Don’t forget the “I’ll keep those n!ggers voting democrat for 200 years” from liberal hero LBJ

[God luvs America]

For me it was Jimmy Carter. Fortunately i was old enough to understand what was happening and my parents were Nixon supporters.

Ronald Reagan didn’t turn me into a staunch conservative at the ripe old age of 14- Jimmy Carter did.

[cowboyusa]

Hwe was a rhino Pinko.

[cowboyusa]

Add meeting with the Deca murderer Mao.

[pierrem15]

Do you think that if Nixon had known how the Democrats would abuse the EPA, for their own purpose, he would have supported it's creation?

I think there was a widely shared perception of the glories of the administrative state in the generation coming out of WWII combined with an incredible naivete about how easily it could be politicized. The Warren Court ought to have alerted everyone.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Kind of funny, because at the start he states that he decided to challenge his views.

He's such a wonderful virtue-signaler.

[virgil]

I thought Nixon was a villain too. I was just 13 and didn’t know better. In the late 80s maybe 90s, a few years before he passed, I started seeing news articles about him. I think there was an interview with Nixon in Time or Newsweek I read. He seemed very human and I forgave him right there. I don’t think he was such a bad president and what he did is nothing compared to what we’re stuck with now.

[Gene Eric]

I believe you have the correct perspective.

Excerpts often fail to do the article justice. And I admit to being hasty — though, I make the effort to read beyond the opening hooks ;)

[Vigilanteman]

I rather enjoyed the article because I also toured the Nixon Library and museum some years ago and came away with an appreciation that it did at least make an honest attempt to explain the complexities of the man, explaining the faults as well as the accomplishments.

Quite the contrast to say, the Clinton library, where his perjury, sexcapades and calling in his political chits to skate through impeachment were entitled "defending the constitution."

Nixon could make a better claim of defending the constitution with the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up which ultimately drove him from office.

[nascarnation]

the Clinton library

I will say the food at the restaurant was excellent and reasonably priced. A minion told me that BJ's private chef for the 4th floor "love nest" works there often during the day.