Celebrating 100 years of Richard Milhous Nixon

[Spurffelbow833]

Honest Dick would have been 100 years old today. Certainly honest compared to everybody except Carter since.

[cocodrilo]

Nixon was born 100 years ago in a log cabin in a blue suit.

[gatorman_07732]

Originally Posted by cocodrilo

Nixon was born 100 years ago in a log cabin in a blue suit.

you kill me

[rivergator]

From Think Progress:

Nixon Turns 100: Why The Modern GOP Makes Us Nostalgic For The Disgraced Former President

[Spurffelbow833]

Nixon got the concept of foreign policy and deserves some credit for getting us out of Vietnam. His disdain for Communism ran deep, yet he thawed our relations with China and, to a lesser degree, the Soviet Union. He was also probably the most knowledgeable sports fan to ever occupy the White House. He belonged in a locker room conversation.

My question about Nixon is what person or persons did he piss off who had the power to run him out of office? I don't believe for one minute Woodward and Bernstein or any media influence or anything to do with Watergate really had anything to do with it. They were just the yapping dogs given their marching orders. Was it because of Vietnam? Getting out of there must have cost a few lovable characters some serious coin.

[rivergator]

Originally Posted by Spurffelbow833

Nixon got the concept of foreign policy and deserves some credit for getting us out of Vietnam. His disdain for Communism ran deep, yet he thawed our relations with China and, to a lesser degree, the Soviet Union. He was also probably the most knowledgeable sports fan to ever occupy the White House. He belonged in a locker room conversation.

My question about Nixon is what person or persons did he piss off who had the power to run him out of office? I don't believe for one minute Woodward and Bernstein or any media influence or anything to do with Watergate really had anything to do with it. They were just the yapping dogs given their marching orders. Was it because of Vietnam? Getting out of there must have cost a few lovable characters some serious coin.

Not sure what you mean unless you're another one of the conspiracy guys. Who gave the Wash Post its marching orders?

[ChartsandGrafs]

Originally Posted by Spurffelbow833

His disdain for Communism ran deep, yet he thawed our relations with China and, to a lesser degree, the Soviet Union.

This particular view doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. Thawed relations with communist dictatorships doesn't suggest disdain at all. It rather suggests that Nixon had to play a certain role before his audience, much like an actor would. In front of the American electorate, Nixon was the stubborn, indefatigable old anti-communist patriot, but behind closed doors, he was wheeling and dealing with them, the result of which helped them modernize and maintain Cold War competitiveness.

All politics is theater.

[Spurffelbow833]

Originally Posted by rivergator

Not sure what you mean unless you're another one of the conspiracy guys. Who gave the Wash Post its marching orders?

That's what I'm wondering, and yes, I'm another of the conspiracy guys, if that's what you want to call it. I call it a firm belief that corruption is the greatest constant in the conduct of human affairs.

I will allow that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. but I don't really believe the media was that much more "investigative" 40 years ago than it is now.

[oragator1]

Originally Posted by Spurffelbow833

That's what I'm wondering, and yes, I'm another of the conspiracy guys, if that's what you want to call it. I call it a firm belief that corruption is the greatest constant in the conduct of human affairs.

I will allow that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. but I don't really believe the media was that much more "investigative" 40 years ago than it is now.

Mark Felt went to them.

[cocodrilo]

Originally Posted by Spurffelbow833

My question about Nixon is what person or persons did he piss off who had the power to run him out of office?

It's my understanding that he was run out by the CIA for trying to set up his own intelligence agency (the White House "plumbers"). Woodward himself had a background in naval intelligence. I believe this is all covered in the book Silent Coup, but it's been a long time since I looked at it.

[rivergator]

Originally Posted by Spurffelbow833

That's what I'm wondering, and yes, I'm another of the conspiracy guys, if that's what you want to call it. I call it a firm belief that corruption is the greatest constant in the conduct of human affairs.

I will allow that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. but I don't really believe the media was that much more "investigative" 40 years ago than it is now.

you really believe that newspapers never do any investigative work? that reporters at the Wash Post or NY Times would only investigate corruption is if someone outside the paper made them? that's how it works?

[DeanMeadGator]

Who would have thought that WaterGate would be a name recognized and associated with corruption by so many for so long? It was, after all, just a hotel.

[ChartsandGrafs]

Originally Posted by rivergator

you really believe that newspapers never do any investigative work?

No, 'never' is not the correct word. There are still a few honest journalists out there and nobody believes that the entire media is corrupt. It's a little more nuanced than that.

that reporters at the Wash Post or NY Times would only investigate corruption is if someone outside the paper made them? that's how it works?

It's more than possible. But I think the fact is, journalists don't necessarily need to be made to refrain from investigating certain subjects, they self censor themselves willingly.

Self-censorship is commonplace in the news media today, according to a survey of nearly 300 journalists and news executives by the Pew Research Center and the Columbia Journalism Review. About one-quarter of the local and national journalists say they have purposely avoided newsworthy stories, while nearly as many acknowledge they have softened the tone of stories to benefit the interests of their news organizations. Fully four-in-ten (41%) admit they have engaged in either or both of these practices.

http://www.people-press.org/2000/04/...often-and-why/