Would Richard Nixon be a 'Crook' by Today's Standards?

I have been thinking about the various Presidents that I have lived under in my life and it occurs to me that Richard Nixon never seemed like that bad of a guy to me. He got us out of the Vietnam 'Police Action', reopened China to US trade and frankly, other than coming off like a d%$@, was a pretty good President.

He recorded some conversations, but ultimately, that would be a drop in the bucket by today's standards. Look at what our recent Presidents have gotten away with and it isn't even close.

So, was Nixon that bad of a guy? Did he deserve what he got? Would he have even been charged in today's environment?

What say you ATS?

Is anyone willing to cut 'Tricky Dick' some slack?

To be honest......... hes a saint compaired to todays leaders

a reply to: Metallicus

Apart from Watergate he didn't seem a pretty bad president really.

He got left with a big mess thanks to Kennedy and Johnson leaving him with such a stupid war.

originally posted by: dreamfox1
To be honest......... hes a saint compaired to todays leaders

These days your leaders dont need to wire tap hotel rooms.......they just ask the NSA.....

a reply to: Metallicus

Compared to the Clintons, well.......

he got a really bad rap

I can't believe the absolute sleeze and real criminal behavior that the Clintons have gotten away with.

Look at Whitewater where Hillary bilked money and homes out from under the elderly poor -
and the Democratic Party is running her for President!

Look at the secret emails
and keeping state department correspondence
in a bathroom, that is treason.

Look at pedophile island and Bill Clinton's connection to it.
(look it up, I'm not linking to it for the 1 millionth time on ATS)

They are put forward as the best the Democratic Party has to offer,
and we thought Nixon was bad?

a reply to: Metallicus
The fact that Nixon recorded (his own) conversations wasn't part of the charge against him.
But what he said in the conversations was part of the evidence.

The main charge would have been "obstruction of justice".
That is, helping to conceal a crime (the original burglary) committed by his subordinates, and lying to the public when he denied knowing about the crime or knowing about the cover-up.

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: Metallicus

Apart from Watergate he didn't seem a pretty bad president really.

He got left with a big mess thanks to Kennedy and Johnson leaving him with such a stupid war.

You are thinking along the same lines that I am. He DID break the law, but somehow today's leaders do the same damn thing and no one blinks. I kinda feel sorry for Nixon.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: Metallicus
The fact that Nixon recorded (his own) conversations wasn't part of the charge against him.
But what he said in the conversations was part of the evidence.

The main charge would have been "obstruction of justice".
That is, helping to conceal a crime (the original burglary) committed by his subordinates, and lying to the public when he denied knowing about the crime or knowing about the cover-up.

So, basically he got caught while these other 'leaders' of today are better at hiding their criminal activity. Thank you for your perspective.

Violation of the Logan Act pre '68 election with Anna Chennault, ordering the break-in at Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office, ordering the break-in at the Brookings Institute, the whole Watergate bugging of the Democratic HQ and ensuing cover up...

Yeah he'd still be a crook. He did some good stuff and wasn't evil personified or anything, but he definitely had his hands in enough bad crap to warrant leaving office.

You have to look at in context. He had a siege mentality and believed he was fighting for the 'soul' of the country against what he did see as evil personified. And some people still think he was correct.

originally posted by: Metallicus

originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: Metallicus

Apart from Watergate he didn't seem a pretty bad president really.

He got left with a big mess thanks to Kennedy and Johnson leaving him with such a stupid war.

You are thinking along the same lines that I am. He DID break the law, but somehow today's leaders do the same damn thing and no one blinks. I kinda feel sorry for Nixon.

I think he got the short end as he had little charisma.

Kennedy could sell anything with his smile.

Regan had his celebrity

Clinton had his sleaze and could slime his way out of anything

Bush II could play the humble dumb dumb.

And Obama has oodles of charm and charisma.

Ford and Carter and Bush I were meh but still had some charm.

But Nixon wasn't exactly a likable , attractive or charismatic person so it was far easier for the public to demonize him.

originally posted by: Metallicus

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: Metallicus
The fact that Nixon recorded (his own) conversations wasn't part of the charge against him.
But what he said in the conversations was part of the evidence.

The main charge would have been "obstruction of justice".
That is, helping to conceal a crime (the original burglary) committed by his subordinates, and lying to the public when he denied knowing about the crime or knowing about the cover-up.

So, basically he got caught while these other 'leaders' of today are better at hiding their criminal activity. Thank you for your perspective.

They are better at hiding it, witness the Clintons

They have just convinced the media not to care
by whatever nefarious means possible
and convinced the Democratic leadership not to
care, by whatever blackmail they hold over them.

Thus effectively getting the media and the Democrats
to tell the American people that these crimes are
not relevant and criminal activity, even as open as
the Clintons are, should not preclude one from being
President. Twisted and sick, huh.

Would Richard Nixon be a 'Crook' by Today's Standards?

Yep he would be.

Because these people below are 'saints'.



And



No matter how far back in time one goes.

Any one with an R by their names ?

Mark of the beast 666!

a reply to: Metallicus

Are you serious? You DO know that Nixon had a personal hitlist that he used AND acted on throughout his Presidency right?

Nixon's Enemies List

The official purpose, as described by the White House Counsel's Office, was to "screw" Nixon's political enemies, by means of tax audits from the Internal Revenue Service, and by manipulating "grant availability, federal contracts, litigation, prosecution, etc."[3] In a memorandum from John Dean to Lawrence Higby (August 16, 1971), Dean explained the purpose of the list:

“ This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration; stated a bit more bluntly—how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.[3] ”

The IRS commissioner, Donald C. Alexander, refused to launch audits of the people on the list.[4]

Woodward and Bernstein: Nixon’s crimes were worse than we knew

Today, much more than when we first covered this story, an abundant record provides unambiguous answers and evidence about Watergate and its meaning. This record has expanded continuously over the decades with the transcription of hundreds of hours of Nixon’s secret tapes, adding detail and context to the hearings in the Senate and House; the trials and guilty pleas of about 40 Nixon aides and associates who went to jail; and the memoirs of Nixon and his deputies. Such documentation makes it possible to trace the president’s personal dominance over a massive campaign of political espionage, sabotage and other illegal activities against his real or perceived opponents.

In the course of his presidency, beginning in 1969, Nixon launched and managed five successive and overlapping wars — against the anti-Vietnam War movement, the news media, the Democrats, the justice system and, finally, against history itself. All reflected a mind-set and a pattern of behavior that were uniquely and pervasively Nixon’s: a willingness to disregard the law for political advantage, and a quest for dirt and secrets about his opponents as an organizing principle of his presidency.

Nixon was the WORST kind of asshole. This holds true yesterday, today, and in the future.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Are you serious? You DO know that Nixon had a personal hitlist that he used AND acted on throughout his Presidency right?

The current guy in the oval office has one of those too.

Hell between his gestapo agencies at the ,EPA,DOJ,IRS targeting journalists, and everyone who isn't on board with his agenda.

Really the guy that used the secret service to spy on the guy he wAs runnng againts for re election was a good guy, another fail thread by mr M.

He wouldn't be held accountable by today's standards. He'd have a protection net similar to Cinton's one, but by Koch Bros. etc.

Oh, he was a horrid, person and worse president.

For one:
"Dirty Politics — Nixon, Watergate, and the JFK Assassination"
Source

a reply to: neo96

Isisnt that cute, obama didint start the wire taps, but hey your a fan of reagan, cant help you there.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I still think what he did in office pales in comparison to the Clintons and Obama, but you always offer a unique perspective to thing for which I am grateful.

a reply to: Metallicus

Doesn't change a thing since all politicians are CROOKS by any days standards!

originally posted by: dukeofjive696969
a reply to: neo96

Isisnt that cute, obama didint start the wire taps, but hey your a fan of reagan, cant help you there.

Neither did his predecessor, but hey who cares.

Like I said, and thank you for proving it.

Anyone with an R by their names 'evil'.