Nixon's acceptance speech (1968 election)

[ajay999999]

Thats what he said didnt do him much good..



[Shelver92]

43 years later, Nov 6, 2011....where did the time go?

[vccstudents]

Nixon said he "knows how it feels to lose a close one." At least dead people didn't vote in this election!

[terrondt]

i was born in 1970, but as a dem if i were 21 that year i would have voted for humphrey. back then only 21 and above could have voted.

[RightWingHunter666]

Idiot Tea baggers would call Nixon a liberal. Thats how far off the radar they are.

[loyaldude10]

@RightWingHunter666 ---it is amzing how much times have changed, and so much of the country has moved to the far "right". Nixon deserved a much better fate

[atrios28]

Nixon would be called a Socialist by today's political yardstick

[hulkyone]

@atrios28 He most certainly would not be. He was a classic example of a dealmaker. He was never solid on any issue. One example was during the 1972 election, when he opened up ties with China. Obama's been doing the same type of appealing to the other side of the political spectrum as Nixon did. Nixon courted Democrats by making statements like "we're all Keynesians now" and Obama did the same with Republicans by giving us a record-breaking $282 billion tax cut with his stimulus package.

[vidnut67]

I watched Nixon's comments concerning an "open administration", welcoming even critics and then think of how it all ended. It was more than puzzling; it was tragic. To borrow a saying from Nixon biographer Stephen Ambrose, it would take Shakespeare to explain it. I just wish that for Nixon's sake, and for the sake of the country, he had followed through on his promise.

[WilliamDRowlett]

He sent a very gracious message to the young people who suppported Humphrey urging them to stay involved in the political process and not be discouraged.

[hulkyone]

Nixon had a paranoid craving for power and control. THIS IS NOT AT ALL A FAR FETCHED STATEMENT, BUT RATHER A STATEMENT BACKED BY FACTS. He made deals a lot and was determined to do whatever neccessary means were available to remain as president, including pushing a deportation for John Lennon. His paranoia to remain in the White House is indeed what led to the Watergate break-in. Professionally, even his dear friend Eisenhower thought he was a liability to the GOP in the 1960 election

[loyaldude10]

@hulkyone -Nixon certainly had his faults, and it is unfortunate that they seem to overshadow his strengths and accomplishments. Bottom line----he was just not a likeable guy, and the media never treated him fairly. And many liberals and even moderates never forgot how nasty he was during the Hiss hearings

[Derby14]

What a gracious winner.

[ohio1960]

He represents my values: WHITE BREAD AMERICA!

[gopconservative78]

Barack the Magic Negro uses slush funds to keep his Democrat Terrorist supporters quiet

[NotCrazyLikeU]

He did use a teleprompter when he resigned--after paying hush money to burglars, lying to Congress and the American people and admitting to subverting the Rule of Law. So, uh, ok,...yay to him

[titans0002]

No teleprompter for Nixon. Certain politicians nowadays (one in particular) need a teleprompter to say "Good morning."

[Suprkit]

Every President since at least John F. Kennedy have used Telepromters. Why does it matter if they do or don't? What difference does it make?

[ottoskidoo]

Uh huh. That's why Obama schooled the GOP for 90 minutes on the floor with his own wit -- of course it was the Repubs who looked witless.

[vccstudents]

He was his own worst enemy unfortunately. Nixon suffered from paranoia and feared he'd lose in '72, especially when the '60 election had dead people voting in Chicago for Kennedy. Forty years later when Gore had one of Saly's people on his campaign, Nixon must have looked down from heaven and said, "They did it to themselves this time!"

[damone77]

I'm learning from the book "Nixonland" that he basically did the same thing while courting the nomination that he did in Watergate. He needed to find out what made the movers and shakers tick and therefore, there's a part of me that truly believes that Nixon really didn't think that the break ins were anything so terrible that he couldn't conceal in a political sense.

[wolf8503]

i wonder by 1974 how many of the millions who helped him in 72 regretted it?

[airdriver]

Quite a few once the "Smoking Gun" tape came out and revealed Nixon was aware and approved of the Watergate break in and agreed with the cover up. Its sad, he might have gone down as one of the countries most effective presidents.

[stan954]

Sorry, airdriver, if there's one thing that helps Nixon in the tapes is that after thousands of hours of them have been listened to there is not a dot of evidence that Nixon knew of the break-in in advance. Quite the contrary.

[gaguy1967]

well he won 61% in 72 and had an approval rating of 22% in 74. So roughly 2/3

[castillianwagon]

I would love to see the 1968 Republican Convention opening speech of Nixion's. I saw it live on TV at age 14.

[cicio428]

If you remove watergate, Nixon did a decent job. Please post more of the 1968 election.

[Waldocounty]

cicio428: Not so fast. Nixon gave us wage-price controls, Title X, EPA, FAP (Family Assistance Program: welfare) and continued the expansion of government LBJ started. Frankly, many of the programs liberals will fall on their swords for were imposed thanx to Nixon. They hated him for the wrong reasons: he was their best friend when it came to domestic policy.

[cicio428]

I agree with many of your points. LBJ did great things for the country. Nixon saw this and therefore did not dismantle his Great Society programs. If you remove Vietnam from LBJ and Watergate from Nixon both men would get a more favorable grade. Now we need the American Promise! Obama-Biden 2008!

[USAGiant]

agreed. That what such a shame. There was no reason for watergate as he would have blown out McGroven in '72.

Just like Bill Clinton, a major scandal ruined an otherwise very good terms in office.

[Gmancrap]

He was an ok president.

[ajay999999]

@Gmancrap He was just a bit corrupt.

To bug that Watergate building in 1973 when he had already won the 1972 election was ridiculous.

[Gmancrap]

Right. Though, we're all a little corrupt. No, he wasn't a saint. Though, I'm not going to base my feelings on him solely on Watergate.

[mnaz21]

Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful piece of history!

[RealAgentOfSHIELD]

Republican or Democrat, we can agree on one thing; Nixon's dentures rock!!!

[mnaz21]

One of my favorite Presidents! He did himself in!