Richard Nixon

Paper Summary:

The complex personality of Richard Nixon gave rise to a complex presidency. Nixon, a former Quaker pacifist president, sent millions of young American soldiers to war. He instituted affirmative action and supported the Equal Rights Amendment but was also known for his misogynist views. As president of the land, he knowingly subverted the Constitution through sabotage, political espionage and secret, illegal campaign contributions. This paper examines evaluates President Nixon's complex presidency, by paying particular attention to his leadership style, his ethical background and the various decisions he made throughout his two terms. In conclusion, the paper evaluates the effects and continuing legacy of former President Nixon.

From the Paper:

"Haldeman's memoirs revealed a stream of illegal orders from President Nixon, including the establishment of fake ultra-left wing organizations to ally with Democrats, "hatchet-job" IRS audits on Democratic leaders, putting detectives to follow Senator Kennedy's womanizing activities and "destroying" commentator Chet Huntley to discourage criticism from other reporters (Gergen 96-98). The nature of these orders and the secrecy surrounding them are indicative of Nixon's disregard for the other power structures that characterize a democracy. The orders reveal the vindictiveness of a person unable to accept criticism regarding his actions. They also reveal a man unable to trust his own staff, the press and ultimately, the American public."

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