American Experience (1988) s03e02 Episode Script

1
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( applause)
Man:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA AND MRS. NIXON
MR. AND MRS. DAVID EISENHOWER,
MR. AND MRS. EDWARD COX.
Narrator:
ON AUGUST 9, 1974
RICHARD MILHOUS NIXON
BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDEN
IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED
STATES TO RESIGN FROM OFFICE.
HIS STAFF GATHERED IN THE
WHITE HOUSE TO BID HIM FAREWELL
AS MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
WATCHED ON TELEVISION
SOME IN SORROW AND DISBELIEF,
OTHERS GLAD TO SEE HIM GO.
RICHARD NIXON HAD ACCOMPLISHED
GREAT THINGS AS PRESIDEN
AND HAD BEEN REELECTED
OVERWHELMINGLY
BUT HE WAS ALSO WIDELY
DISTRUSTED, SOMETIMES RIDICULED
EVEN DESPISED.
YOU'RE HERE TO SAY
GOOD-BYE TO US
AND WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD WORD
THE BEST IS AU REVOIR.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN.
( applause)
Man:
RICHARD NIXON WAS STUDIEDLY
DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE
AND I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY ONE PERSON
INCLUDING HIS WIFE, PROBABLY
WHO COULD SIT DOWN AND WRITE
THE DEFINITIVE EXPLANATION
OF RICHARD NIXON.
WE ALL SAW HIM DIFFERENTLY.
( applause)
Narrator:
HE WAS A TIRELESS CAMPAIGNER
A SURVIVOR OF MORE THAN
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
OF POLITICAL BATTLE
YET SO SELF-CONSCIOUS
THAT HE DISLIKED SHAKING HANDS
AND FOUND IT HARD
TO LOOK ANYONE IN THE EYE.
AND I INTEND TO CONTINUE
TO EXPOSE THE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE SOLD THIS COUNTRY
DOWN THE RIVER
UNTIL WE HAVE DRIVEN ALL
THE CROOKS AND THE COMMUNISTS
AND THOSE THAT DEFEND THEM
OUT OF WASHINGTON.
Narrator:
HE ROSE TO POWER AS
A CRUSADER AGAINST COMMUNISM
ONLY TO MAKE HIS
MOST LASTING MARK
BUILDING BRIDGES TO CHINA
AND THE SOVIET UNION.
HE HAD MILLIONS OF ADMIRERS
ALL OVER THE WORLD
BUT TRUSTED ALMOST NO ONE
AND IN THE END WAS LEF
TO FACE HIS ENEMIES ALONE.
THE ADVICE HE OFFERED HIS STAFF
IN HIS LAST SPEECH AS PRESIDEN
STIRRED THE THICK AUGUST AIR
WITH ADMONITIONS
THAT SEEMED TO APPLY MOST APTLY
TO NIXON HIMSELF.
ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BES
NEVER GET DISCOURAGED,
NEVER BE PETTY.
ALWAYS REMEMBER,
OTHERS MAY HATE YOU
BUT THOSE WHO HATE YOU DON'T WIN
UNLESS YOU HATE THEM
AND THEN YOU DESTROY YOURSELF.
Man:
IT'S STRUCK ME FROM TIME TO TIME
THAT NIXON AS A CHARACTER
WOULD HAVE BEEN SO EASY TO FIX
IN THE SENSE OF REMOVING
THESE RATHER PETTY FLAWS
AND YET I THINK IT'S ALSO TRUE
THAT IF YOU DID THIS
YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE REMOVED
THAT VERY INNER CORE
OF INSECURITY
THAT LED TO HIS DRIVE.
A SECURE NIXON ALMOST SURELY,
IN MY VIEW
WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES AT ALL.
SING A SONG
OF GOLDEN CALIFORNIA ♪
GRAIN REFLECTS
THE LOFTY MOUNTAIN ♪
AND THE SUNSET SEA
THE SUNSET SEA. ♪
Narrator:
RICHARD NIXON WAS BORN
IN THE TINY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
DESERT TOWN OF YORBA LINDA
IN 1913.
HE GREW UP AMONG THE PEOPLE
HE WOULD ONE DAY CALL
"FORGOTTEN AMERICANS"
AND THE "SILENT MAJORITY."
MY CALIFORNIA ♪
Narrator:
HARDWORKING,
CHURCHGOING PEOPLE
FARMERS, SHOPKEEPERS
PEOPLE WITH AN INBRED RESPEC
FOR AUTHORITY
AND AN UNYIELDING BELIEF
IN THE AMERICAN DREAM.
THAT'S MY HONEY ♪
THAT'S MY SUNNY CALIFORNIA. ♪
Nixon:
I REMEMBER MY OLD MAN.
I THINK THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE CALLED HIM
A SORT OF LITTLE MAN,
COMMON MAN.
HE DIDN'T CONSIDER HIMSELF
THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT HE WAS?
HE WAS A STREETCAR MOTORMAN
FIRST, AND THEN HE WAS A FARMER
AND THEN HE HAD A LEMON RANCH
AND THEN HE WAS A GROCER.
BUT HE WAS A GREAT MAN.
Narrator:
"RICHARD HAD HIS FATHER'S FIRE"
HIS MOTHER, HANNAH MILHOUS
NIXON, ONCE SAID, "AND MY TACT."
SHE SEEMED THE OPPOSITE
OF THE LOUD, AGGRESSIVE HUSBAND
HER QUAKER FAMILY ALWAYS
BELIEVED BENEATH HER
SOFT-SPOKEN, TIGHTLY CONTROLLED
NEVER ALLOWING ANGER
TO GET THE BETTER OF HER.
SHE INSISTED HER SECOND SON
BE CALLED RICHARD, NOT DICK
TAUGHT HIM TO READ
BEFORE HE ENTERED SCHOOL
AND MADE SURE
HE SAID HIS PRAYERS DAILY
AND WENT FOUR TIMES
TO QUAKER MEETING ON SUNDAYS.
Woman:
I TAUGHT RICHARD NIXON
IN THE SECOND GRADE
HERE IN YORBA LINDA.
HE SAT IN THE BACK SEA
AND ALWAYS CAME TO SCHOOL
WITH A WHITE, STARCHED SHIR
WITH LONG SLEEVES.
HE WAS ALWAYS A QUIET,
DIGNIFIED LITTLE FELLOW
AND A VERY GOOD STUDENT.
Narrator:
HE WAS CLUMSY
BUT DOGGED AT GAMES
SHY BUT GIFTED
AT RECITING POETRY
AND FULL OF HIS FATHER'S
ENTHUSIASM FOR POLITICS.
Man:
DICK WAS POLITICALLY INCLINED
AS A KID.
I REMEMBER WALKING TO SCHOOL
AND I THINK IT WAS WHEN HARDING
WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDEN
AND OLD DICK WAS THERE
ON A STUMP
SAYING WHY EVERYBODY
SHOULD VOTE FOR HARDING.
Narrator:
THE NIXONS MOVED TO NEARBY
WHITTIER WHEN RICHARD WAS NINE.
FOUNDED BY QUAKERS IN 1887
IT WAS A SOBER,
INDUSTRIOUS COMMUNITY:
NO LIQUOR STORES, NO BARS,
NO DANCE HALLS.
FRANK NIXON BOUGHT A GAS STATION
ALONG THE HIGHWAY
AND SOON ADDED A GENERAL STORE
WHERE THE WHOLE FAMILY WORKED
OFTEN 16 HOURS A DAY,
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
ONE THING MY MOTHER AND DAD
ALWAYS USED TO SAY
WHEN WE WERE
GROWING UP
I DON'T MEAN
MY MOTHER
BECAUSE SHE WAS
A LITTLE BIASED
BUT MY DAD USED TO SAY
WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP
HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
YOU BOYS"
SPEAKING TO ME
PARTICULARLY
"YOU BOYS HAVE GOT TO
GET OUT AND SCRATCH.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE
ON YOUR GOOD LOOKS."
Narrator:
WHEN RICHARD WAS 12
HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, ARTHUR,
SUDDENLY FELL ILL AND DIED
AND WITHIN EIGHT YEARS
HAROLD, THE ELDEST BROTHER
AND FAMILY FAVORITE
WOULD SUCCUMB TO TUBERCULOSIS.
HANNAH NIXON RECALLED,
"IT WAS ARTHUR'S PASSING
"THAT FIRST STIRRED WITHIN
RICHARD A DETERMINATION
"TO HELP MAKE UP FOR OUR LOSS
BY MAKING US VERY PROUD OF HIM.
"HE MAY HAVE FEL
A KIND OF GUIL
"THAT HAROLD AND ARTHUR
WERE DEAD
AND HE WAS ALIVE,"
SHE REMEMBERED.
MY MOTHER WAS A SAINT.
AND I THINK OF HER,
TWO BOYS DYING OF TUBERCULOSIS
NURSING FOUR OTHERS,
AND SEEING EACH OF THEM DIE
AND WHEN THEY DIED,
IT WAS LIKE ONE OF HER OWN.
YES, SHE WILL HAVE NO BOOKS
WRITTEN ABOUT HER
BUT SHE WAS A SAINT.
Narrator:
"I WOULD LIKE TO STUDY LAW
AND ENTER POLITICS
FOR AN OCCUPATION"
NIXON WROTE IN THE EIGHTH GRADE
"SO THAT I MIGHT BE OF SOME GOOD
TO THE PEOPLE."
NIXON WORKED HARD
FOR EVERYTHING HE GO
AND HIS SOBER, INDUSTRIOUS AIR
SOMETIMES PUT OFF
HIS CONTEMPORARIES.
WHEN HE RAN FOR CLASS PRESIDEN
AT WHITTIER HIGH
HE LOST TO A CANDIDATE
HE LATER DISMISSED
AS AN ATHLETE
AND PERSONALITY BOY.
HE WOULD NOT LOSE ANOTHER
ELECTION FOR 30 YEARS.
BOTH HARVARD AND YALE INVITED
NIXON TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
BUT HIS DREAM OF A PRESTIGIOUS
EASTERN UNIVERSITY
WAS FRUSTRATED.
IT WAS 1930,
THE GREAT DEPRESSION
AND HAROLD WAS IN THE MIDS
OF HIS LONG STRUGGLE
WITH TUBERCULOSIS.
"WE NEEDED RICHARD AT HOME,"
HANNAH NIXON REMEMBERED.
NIXON HAD TO SETTLE FOR WHITTIER
COLLEGE JUST DOWN THE ROAD
AND LATER SAID HE'D
NEVER FELT DISAPPOINTED.
HE SOON BECAME A BIG MAN
ON THE SMALL CAMPUS.
HE WAS AN AMBITIOUS
STUDENT POLITICIAN
AN ACCOMPLISHED ACTOR,
A CHAMPION DEBATER.
THE WHITTIER STUDENT BODY
ELECTED NIXON PRESIDENT IN 1933.
HE WAS BOTH ADMIRED AND RESENTED
FOR WHAT ONE STUDENT CALLED
"AN ALMOST RUTHLESS
COCKSURENESS."
THE EXCLUSIVE FRANKLIN CLUB
DENIED NIXON MEMBERSHIP.
HE HELPED ORGANIZE
A COMPETING CLUB
THE ORTHOGONIANS,
OR SQUARE SHOOTERS
STUDENTS WHO TOOK PRIDE
IN WORKING THEIR WAY
THROUGH COLLEGE.
THEY WORE NO TIES,
SERVED SPAGHETTI AND BEANS
AND ATTRACTED THE COLLEGE'S
BEST ATHLETES.
NIXON LATER DENIED THERE WAS
ANY CLASS DISTINCTION
BETWEEN HIS SHIRT-SLEEVED
ORTHOGONIANS
AND THE TUXEDOED FRANKLINS
BUT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, HE
WOULD EMPHASIZE THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN HIS OWN
MODEST BEGINNINGS
AND THE WEALTHY,
PRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS
OF HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS.
DUKE LAW SCHOOL WAS NIXON'S
NEXT TRAINING GROUND
IN PERSISTENCE, SUCCESS
AND FRUSTRATION.
HIS CLASSMATES CALLED HIM
"GLOOMY GUS."
HE LIVED FRUGALLY,
STUDIED ENDLESSLY
AND NEVER WALKED AWAY FROM
A CLASSROOM CONFRONTATION.
Man:
WE HAD A PROFESSOR OF TORTS,
DOUGLAS MAGGS
WHO WAS SO INTIMIDATING
THAT MOST PEOPLE BACKED DOWN.
THE FIRST PERSON IN OUR CLASS
THAT I REMEMBER
THAT STOOD UP TO HIM
AND KIND OF BARKED BACK
WAS NIXON.
HE WAS STANDING THERE
KIND OF FLAT-FOOTED
AND YOU COULD JUST SEE
HE WAS DUG IN
AND HE WAS JUS
STANDING UP TO MAGGS,
KIND OF ALMOST SHAKING
IN HIS SHOES
BUT, BY GOSH, HE WASN'
GOING TO BACK DOWN.
Narrator:
NIXON GRADUATED THIRD
IN HIS CLASS
HOPING FOR A JOB WITH AN EAS
COAST LAW FIRM OR THE F.B.I.
BUT HIS APPLICATIONS
WERE REJECTED.
HE WENT BACK HOME TO WHITTIER.
CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME ♪
Narrator:
NIXON'S MOTHER HELPED HIM GE
A JOB IN A FRIEND'S LAW OFFICE.
BUT SMALL-TOWN LAW BORED HIM
AND HE WAS STILL TOO YOUNG
AND INEXPERIENCED
FOR STATE POLITICS.
THEN, WHILE AUDITIONING
FOR A LOCAL PLAY
HE FELL IN LOVE.
PAT RYAN WAS A TRUCK FARMER'S
RED-HAIRED DAUGHTER
TEN MONTHS OLDER THAN HE
AND EVEN MORE ACCUSTOMED
TO HARD WORK AND HARDSHIP.
SHE HAD WORKED HER WAY
THROUGH COLLEGE
AS A SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR,
SALESGIRL AND MOVIE EXTRA
BEFORE TAKING A TEACHING JOB
AT WHITTIER HIGH.
"DON'T LAUGH," NIXON TOLD HER,
EVEN BEFORE THEIR FIRST DATE
"BUT SOMEDAY I'M
GOING TO MARRY YOU."
HE PURSUED PA
FOR OVER TWO YEARS
EVEN DRIVING HER
TO LOS ANGELES ON WEEKENDS
WHEN SHE HAD DATES
WITH OTHER MEN
THEN WAITING AROUND
TO TAKE HER HOME AGAIN.
HE MARRIED HER IN JUNE OF 1940,
BUT HIS POLITICAL AMBITIONS
WOULD HAVE TO WAI
FIVE MORE YEARS.
THE WORLD WAS AT WAR.
CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME. ♪
Narrator:
EIGHT MONTHS AFTER PEARL HARBOR,
NIXON JOINED THE NAVY
AND AS A LIEUTENANT COMMANDER
WAS SENT TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
HE WAS BEST REMEMBERED
FOR HIS SKILL
AT SCROUNGING FOOD
AND LIQUOR AND SUPPLIES
FOR THE GRATEFUL MEN
WHO CALLED HIM "NICK."
AND HE LEARNED TO PLAY POKER
NOT JUST TO FILL THE TIME,
BUT TO MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY.
Man:
HE SAID TO ME:
"DO YOU THINK THAT THERE'S
ANY SURE WAY TO WIN?"
AND I SAID:
"IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU
HAVE THE BEST HAND GOING IN
GET OUT, DROP, DON'T ANTE UP."
I SAID, "THE TROUBLE
WITH THAT IS
"YOU'LL PROBABLY DROP THREE
OR FOUR HANDS OUT OF FIVE
"AND IT'S VERY BORING
AND I HAVEN'T GO
THE PATIENCE TO DO IT."
WELL, TO OUR INTENSE SURPRISE,
HE DID EXACTLY THA
AND HE WON MORE FREQUENTLY
THAN HE LOS
AND HE SENT HOME TO CALIFORNIA
A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I HAVE NO IDEA EXACTLY HOW MUCH
BUT MY ESTIMATE WAS
BETWEEN $6,000 AND $7,000.
Narrator:
IT WAS HIS POKER WINNINGS
THAT HELPED FINANCE NIXON'S
FIRST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
AT WAR'S END, HE WAS APPROACHED
BY A GROUP OF REPUBLICAN BANKERS
AND BUSINESSMEN FROM WHITTIER
WHO SOUGHT A CANDIDATE TO UNSEA
THE FIVE-TERM DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN JERRY VOORHIS.
VOORHIS, A YALE GRADUATE
FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY
WAS ANATHEMA
TO WHITTIER REPUBLICANS.
HE SUPPORTED LABOR,
OPPOSED BIG OIL AND BIG BANKING
AND CHAMPIONED
THE SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS
OF THE NEW DEAL.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER NIXON
JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY
TO RUN AGAINST HIM.
LEADING REPUBLICANS AROUND
WHITTIER WERE CONFIDEN
THEY FINALLY HAD FOUND THE MAN
TO DEFEAT JERRY VOORHIS.
"NIXON COMES FROM GOOD QUAKER
STOCK," A LOCAL BANKER WROTE.
"HE IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE
INDIVIDUAL."
ANOTHER PARTISAN SAID, "THIS MAN
IS SALEABLE MERCHANDISE."
IN HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN,
NIXON DEVELOPED AN APPROACH
THAT REMAINED
REMARKABLY CONSISTEN
THROUGH NEARLY THREE DECADES.
THE CANDIDATE PRESENTED HIMSELF
AS A FAMILY MAN
FROM A LONG TRADITION
OF WORK AND SERVICE
A FIRM BELIEVER
IN INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE
A CHAMPION OF THE FORGOTTEN MAN,
AND AT THE SAME TIME
HE PROVED TO BE A FIERCE
NO-HOLDS-BARRED COMBATAN
ACCUSING VOORHIS OF TIES
TO COMMUNIST ORGANIZATIONS
DISTORTING VOORHIS'S RECORD
IN CONGRESS.
Man:
JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION
A GOOD MANY PEOPLE
CAME AND TOLD ME:
"DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TELEPHONE
CALLS THAT ARE BEING MADE?"
AND I SAID, NO, I DIDN'T.
"WELL," THEY SAID,
"I WAS CALLED ON THE PHONE
"BY AN UNIDENTIFIED PERSON
WHO SIMPLY SAID
DO YOU KNOW THAT JERRY VOORHIS
IS A COMMUNIST?"
AND "YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR
MR. NIXON BECAUSE OF THIS FACT."
Narrator:
THE CHARACTER
OF NIXON'S CAMPAIGN
SURPRISED MANY OF HIS FRIENDS.
"OF COURSE I KNEW JERRY VOORHIS
WASN'T A COMMUNIST"
HE LATER TOLD A VOORHIS AIDE,
"BUT I HAD TO WIN.
"THAT'S THE THING
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO WIN."
ALL THE STOPS WERE PULLED
AND MR. NIXON BEAT ME.
HE WAS A GOOD DEBATER.
HE WAS A CLEVER DEBATER.
I WOULDN'T DENY THAT AT ALL.
BUT
UH
I
STILL FEEL THAT THERE WERE A
GOOD MANY BELOW-THE-BELT BLOWS
STRUCK IN THE CAMPAIGN.
Narrator:
NIXON WAS SWEPT INTO OFFICE
WITH 60% OF THE VOTE
PART OF A NATIONWIDE
REPUBLICAN SURGE.
HIS BOYHOOD GOAL, TO ENTER
POLITICS, HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.
Announcer:
CAPITOL HILL IN WASHINGTON IS
AGAIN THE NATION'S FOCAL POIN
AS THE 80th CONGRESS CONVENES
DURING ONE OF
THE MOST CRUCIAL PERIODS
IN THE NATION'S HISTORY.
THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
CONGRESS TAKES THE HELM
IN THE HOUSE.
Narrator:
AS THE NIXONS POSED
BENEATH THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS
WITH BABY PATRICIA
IT WAS A HEADY TIME
FOR A YOUNG REPUBLICAN.
THE G.O.P. CONTROLLED
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS,
AND THE FERVENT ANTI-COMMUNISM
THAT HAD HELPED NIXON
WIN THE ELECTION
WAS WELL SUITED TO THE TIMES.
Announcer:
SOVIET RUSSIA WAS
EXPANSIVELY STABBING WESTWARD
KNIFING INTO NATIONS
LEFT EMPTY BY WAR.
ALREADY AN IRON CURTAIN
HAD DROPPED
AROUND POLAND, HUNGARY,
YUGOSLAVIA, BULGARIA
I AM NOT NOW A COMMUNIST
Narrator:
AND IN THE UNITED STATES
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
SEARCHED FOR
SOVIET SYMPATHIZERS.
CONGRESSMAN NIXON SOON BECAME
THE JUNIOR MEMBER
OF THAT CONTROVERSIAL,
HEADLINE-MAKING BODY.
AND ON AUGUST 3, 1948
SHORTLY AFTER THE BIRTH OF
NIXON'S SECOND DAUGHTER, JULIE
AN UNLIKELY DRAMA BEGAN
THAT WOULD MAKE THE ISSUE
OF COMMUNIST SUBVERSION
FRONT-PAGE NEWS
AND MAKE CONGRESSMAN NIXON
A NATIONAL FIGURE
ALMOST OVERNIGHT.
Man:
SWEAR THE TESTIMONY
YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE
WILL BE THE TRUTH,
THE WHOLE TRUTH,
AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
SO HELP YOU GOD?
I DO.
Narrator:
A SELF-CONFESSED EX-COMMUNIS
AND EDITOR OF TIME MAGAZINE
NAMED WHITTAKER CHAMBERS
APPEARED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
TO MAKE A SENSATIONAL CHARGE.
ALGER HISS, PROTEGE OF
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
AIDE TO FRANKLIN ROOSEVEL
AT YALTA
AND ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
WAS, SAID CHAMBERS, A COMMUNIS
INTENT UPON INFILTRATING THE
HIGHEST OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT.
Chambers:
MR. HISS
REPRESENTS THE CONCEALED ENEMY
AGAINST WHICH WE ARE ALL
FIGHTING AND I AM FIGHTING.
MY CONTACTS WITH ANY
FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVE
WHO COULD POSSIBLY
HAVE BEEN A COMMUNIS
HAVE BEEN STRICTLY OFFICIAL.
Narrator:
MOST OBSERVERS
FOUND HISS PERSUASIVE
BUT NIXON HAD LEARNED
THROUGH FATHER JOHN CRONIN
A CATHOLIC PRIES
WITH F.B.I. CONNECTIONS
THAT HISS HAD BEEN
UNDER SUSPICION FOR YEARS.
NIXON INSISTED
THE HEARINGS CONTINUE.
Newsreel announcer:
"WHO'S THE LIAR" MIGHT WELL BE
THE TITLE OF THE DRAMA
WHICH UNFOLDS BEFORE
A PACKED CAUCUS ROOM
WHERE THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEMBERS
SWEAR IN ALGER HISS.
Narrator:
THE HEARINGS WERE HIGH DRAMA.
RUMORS SPREAD THAT CHAMBERS
WAS A PSYCHOPATH.
HISS CLAIMED NEVER
TO HAVE KNOWN HIM.
PRESIDENT TRUMAN
DENOUNCED THE PROCEEDINGS
AS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
AND ORDERED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
TO REFUSE TO COOPERATE.
NIXON CHARGED THAT THE DEMOCRATS
WERE MOUNTING A COVER-UP.
THE FRESHMAN CONGRESSMAN
FROM WHITTIER
HAD PUT HIMSELF
IN THE CENTER OF IT ALL.
Man:
NIXON REALIZED
THAT ONCE HE HAD COMMITTED
HIMSELF,
THAT IF EVERYTHING COLLAPSED,
IF HISS WAS EXONERATED
OR IF THE CHARGES WERE
NOT PROVED TO THE HIL
HE WOULD BE BADLY HURT.
NOW, I DON'T THINK HE WOULD HAVE
BEEN PERMANENTLY HUR
BUT CERTAINLY, I THINK,
IF THAT HAD HAPPENED
RICHARD NIXON WOULD NEVER
HAVE BECOME A SENATOR
AND NEVER WOULD HAVE BECOME
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Narrator:
"HE IMMERSED HIMSELF IN THE CASE
WITH AN ABSORPTION THA
WAS ALMOST FRIGHTENING"
PAT NIXON REMEMBERED.
WHEN OTHERS WERE READY
TO DROP THE CASE
NIXON AND CHIEF INVESTIGATOR
ROBERT STRIPLING
TALKED THEM OUT OF IT.
THEY WERE SURE HISS WAS LYING
WHEN HE CLAIMED NOT EVEN
TO HAVE KNOWN CHAMBERS
AND THEY SET OUT TO PROVE IT.
WE WENT OUT AND GO
MR. CHAMBERS
PUT HIM IN THE GRAND JURY ROOM.
WE PUT HIM UNDER OATH,
AND WE SAID, IN EFFEC
"YOU CLAIM YOU KNOW MR. HISS;
TELL US ALL ABOUT HIM.
"WHAT DID HE CALL HIS WIFE?
"WHAT DID SHE CALL HIM?
"DID THEY HAVE A DOG?
"DID THEY HAVE A VETERINARIAN?
"DID THEY HAVE A DOCTOR?
"DID THEY HAVE A COOK?
GIVE US THE HOUSEKEEPING DETAILS
BEGINNING AT THE FRONT DOOR."
AND HE RATTLED ON FOR TWO HOURS.
IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS THA
HE INDEED DID KNOW MR. HISS
AND QUITE WELL.
THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR
WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTAN
AND THAT WAS A KIND
OF PERSONAL ANIMUS.
HISS WAS ARROGANT ON THE STAND
AND HE RUBBED NIXON
THE WRONG WAY
AND HE SNAPPED AT NIXON
A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND SO ON.
AND IT BECAME, I THINK, ALSO
A PERSONAL THING FOR NIXON.
HE SAW THAT IT COULD BE
A BIG ISSUE
AND HIS WHOLE TEMPERAMEN
MADE HIM WANT TO PURSUE IT.
Chambers:
I BELIEVE THAT I WAS FIRS
INTRODUCED TO MR. HISS
BY HAROLD WARE AND J. PETERS.
Narrator:
CHAMBERS, NOW FIGHTING
A LIBEL SUI
LEVELED A STILL MORE
SENSATIONAL CHARGE
ONE HE HAD NOT YET SHARED
WITH THE COMMITTEE.
HE CLAIMED THAT HISS
HAD ACTUALLY BEEN A SPY
BEFORE THE WAR, COPYING SECRE
STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS
WHICH CHAMBERS HIMSELF HAD
PASSED ON TO A SOVIET CONTACT.
NIXON WAS FURIOUS THAT CHAMBERS
HAD BEEN HOLDING OUT ON HIM.
HE ORDERED ANY EVIDENCE
CHAMBERS MIGHT HAVE SUBPOENAED
THEN LEFT WITH HIS WIFE
ON A LONG-DELAYED
CARIBBEAN VACATION.
Announcer:
IN THE LATEST SENSATIONAL TURN
OF THE RED ESPIONAGE PROBE
THE MARYLAND FARM
OF THE MAGAZINE EDITOR
BECOMES THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION.
Narrator:
FROM A HOLLOWED-OUT PUMPKIN
CHAMBERS PRODUCED APPARENT PROOF
OF ESPIONAGE
MICROFILM OF STOLEN DOCUMENTS.
NIXON MADE
THE NATION'S FRONT PAGES
WHEN HE WAS PLUCKED
FROM MID-OCEAN
AND FLOWN BACK TO WASHINGTON
FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE.
I AM HOLDING IN MY HAND
A MICROFILM
OF VERY HIGHLY
CONFIDENTIAL
SECRET STATE DEPARTMEN
DOCUMENTS
Narrator:
THE MICROFILM, KNOWN
AS THE "PUMPKIN PAPERS"
PROVIDED THE EVIDENCE
AND THE PUBLICITY NIXON NEEDED.
FINALLY, AFTER TWO
CONTROVERSIAL TRIALS
HISS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF PERJURY
AND IMPRISONED.
THE HISS CASE POLARIZED AMERICAN
OPINION ABOUT RICHARD NIXON.
TO CONSERVATIVES
HE HAD FEARLESSLY ROOTED OU
A DANGEROUS SUBVERSIVE
BUT IN THE EYES OF MANY LIBERALS
NIXON HAD DESTROYED
AN HONORABLE MAN
AND SET THE STAGE FOR MORE
UNSCRUPULOUS COMMUNIST HUNTERS
BUT THERE WAS NO DOUB
THAT AT THE AGE OF 35
THE CONGRESSMAN FROM WHITTIER
HAD BECOME A NATIONAL FIGURE.
( explosion)
Narrator:
1950 THE RUSSIANS HAD EXPLODED
AN ATOMIC BOMB OF THEIR OWN.
JULIUS AND ETHEL ROSENBERG
WERE CHARGED
WITH GIVING THE SOVIETS
ATOMIC SECRETS.
COMMUNISTS TOOK CONTROL
OF MAINLAND CHINA.
IN KOREA, COMMUNIST TROOPS
POURED ACROSS THE 38th PARALLEL
AND AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE SEN
TO STOP THEM.
SENATOR JOSEPH McCARTHY CHARGED
THAT COMMUNISTS IN GOVERNMEN
WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT ALL.
AND CALL THE ROLLS
AND CALL THE ROLLS OF
TRAITORS
AND CONGRESSMAN NIXON
HAD HIS SIGHTS ON THE SENATE.
HIS OPPONENT WAS
THREE-TERM CONGRESSWOMAN
HELEN GAHAGAN DOUGLAS.
LIKE JERRY VOORHIS,
SHE WAS WEALTHY, WELL EDUCATED
AND AN OUTSPOKEN NEW DEALER.
SHE CONDEMNED THE FEAR OF
INTERNAL COMMUNISM AS IRRATIONAL
AND OPPOSED THE VERY EXISTENCE
OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES.
POLITICIANS IN BOTH PARTIES
CALLED THE FORMER ACTRESS
A "BLEEDING-HEART LIBERAL,"
A "DO-GOODER"
A "HOLLYWOOD PARLOR PINK."
CONGRESSMAN JOHN F. KENNEDY
QUIETLY GAVE NIXON $1,000
TO HELP DEFEAT HER, SAYING,
"IT WON'T BREAK MY HEAR
IF YOU CAN TURN THE SENATE'S
LOSS INTO HOLLYWOOD'S GAIN."
MRS. DOUGLAS WAS A PERFEC
TARGET FOR WHAT NIXON CALLED
HIS "ROCKING, SOCKING"
STYLE OF CAMPAIGNING.
IMPLYING THE CONGRESSWOMAN
WAS PRO-COMMUNIS
HE DISTRIBUTED A FLYER
ON PINK PAPER
SHOWING MRS. DOUGLAS HAD VOTED
WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL LEFT-WING
CONGRESSMAN VITO MARCANTONIO
354 TIMES.
THE FACT THAT MOST DEMOCRATS
AND A GOOD MANY REPUBLICANS HAD
VOTED THE SAME WAY WAS IGNORED.
NIXON CHARGED THAT HIS OPPONEN
WAS "PINK RIGHT DOWN
TO HER UNDERWEAR."
MRS. DOUGLAS FOUGHT BACK HARD,
CALLING NIXON A "PEEWEE"
WHO IS TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE
INTO VOTING FOR HIM.
AND SHE GAVE HIM THE NICKNAME
HE WOULD NEVER ENTIRELY SHAKE
"TRICKY DICK."
Woman:
WHEN RICHARD NIXON RAN
FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
UNSEATED JERRY VOORHIS
IT WAS THE SAME KIND OF CAMPAIGN
AS HE WAGED AGAINST ME IN 1950.
BUT THE ESSENCE OF THAT KIND
OF CAMPAIGN IS THIS:
TO AVOID THE ISSUES
YOU WORK UP BOGUS ISSUES
TRYING TO PLAY ON
THE FEARS OF PEOPLE.
BECAUSE IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE
REAL ISSUES, YOU MAY LOSE VOTES.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
Narrator:
OTHER CANDIDATES
EMPLOYED SCARE TACTICS THAT YEAR
BUT FEW WERE MORE BLATAN
THAN RICHARD NIXON'S.
"PEOPLE REACT TO FEAR,"
HE ONCE TOLD AN AIDE, "NOT LOVE.
THEY DON'T TEACH THAT IN
SUNDAY SCHOOL, BUT IT'S TRUE."
NIXON DEFEATED MRS. DOUGLAS
BY ALMOST 700,000 VOTES
THE LARGEST PLURALITY WON
BY ANY SENATORIAL
CANDIDATE IN THE COUNTRY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY WONDER
HOW IT IS POSSIBLE
FOR A CANDIDATE TO BE ELECTED
INTO ANY OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA
WHEN HE IS A MEMBER
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
I HAVE JUST HAD THAT EXPERIENCE
AND I SHOULD LIKE
TO POINT OUT THE REASON
FOR OUR ELECTION VICTORY.
IT'S BECAUSE IN THIS
PARTICULAR ELECTION, THE ISSUES
RATHER THAN THE PARTISAN LABELS
OF THE CANDIDATES,
WERE WHAT GOVERNED
THE ELECTORATE.
I THINK THE MAJOR ISSUE
Man:
RICHARD NIXON DOES NOT SIMPLY
DEFEAT JERRY VOORHIS
FOR THE CONGRESS
OR DEFEAT HELEN GAHAGAN DOUGLAS
FOR THE SENATE IN 1950.
HE DESTROYS THESE PEOPLE
POLITICALLY
AND VERY NEARLY PERSONALLY.
AND HE DOES THAT IN SUCH A WAY
AS TO LEAVE
A GREAT LEGACY OF BITTERNESS
AMONG THEIR SUPPORTERS,
AND EVEN AMONG ONLOOKERS
PEOPLE WHO ARE SORT OF
NEUTRAL OBSERVERS ON THE SIDE.
Announcer:
CHICAGO IS A CITY DIVIDED
AS THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES AND
OBSERVERS STREAM INTO THE CITY
FOR THE 25th REPUBLICAN
CONVENTION.
PARTISANSHIP RUNS HIGH.
AND THE TRAPPINGS
OF THE GRAND OLD PARTY
BEFORE THE SERIOUS BUSINESS
GETS UNDER WAY.
Narrator:
AFTER ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF
IN THE SENATE
NIXON WAS A LEADING CANDIDATE
FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATION.
Announcer:
AND HERE COMES "MR. REPUBLICAN"
HIMSELF, SENATOR ROBERT TAFT.
Narrator:
TAFT PARTISANS
CONSERVATIVE AND ISOLATIONIST
APPLAUDED NIXON'S
FERVENT ANTI-COMMUNISM
WHILE EISENHOWER'S MORE LIBERAL,
INTERNATIONALIST BACKERS
WERE ATTRACTED TO NIXON'S
SUPPORT OF THE MARSHALL PLAN
AND HIS COMMITMEN
TO REBUILDING POSTWAR EUROPE.
THE CALIFORNIA DELEGATION
WAS PLEDGED
TO ITS FAVORITE SON,
GOVERNOR EARL WARREN.
BUT BEHIND THE SCENES,
NIXON LOBBIED HARD
FOR THE NOMINATION
OF EISENHOWER.
HE WAS A MAN
WITH NO SET IDEOLOGY
NO SET, REAL
DEEP-DOWN PRINCIPLES.
HE WASN'T A TAFT REPUBLICAN
HE WASN'
AN EISENHOWER REPUBLICAN
HE WAS A NIXON REPUBLICAN.
Announcer:
WITH NEW YORK'S
BIG BLOC OF VOTES
THE ISSUE IS NO LONGER IN DOUB
AND A WILDLY CHEERING CONVENTION
HAILS ITS NOMINEE
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER,
SOLDIER AND STATESMAN.
Narrator:
AWAY FROM THE CONVENTION FLOOR,
EISENHOWER HUDDLED WITH NIXON.
THE YOUNG SENATOR REPRESENTED
THE GROWING POWER
OF THE WEST COAST.
AND HE WAS
A ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE CAMPAIGNER.
THE GENERAL OFFERED HIM
THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.
AND AS WE CONTRIBUTE
TO THE REPUBLICAN CAUSE
WHAT WE WILL DO IS
TO FORGE A GREAT VICTORY
FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
NEXT NOVEMBER.
BUT A VICTORY WHICH WILL BE
A VICTORY
NOT ONLY
FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
BUT WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT,
IT WILL BE A VICTORY FOR AMERICA
AND FOR THE CAUSE OF FREE
PEOPLES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
( applause)
Narrator:
EISENHOWER INTENDED
TO KEEP TO THE HIGH ROAD
HE TOLD HIS RUNNING MATE.
IT WAS UP TO NIXON
TO FLAIL THE DEMOCRATS
AND THEIR PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE, ADLAI STEVENSON.
THERE IS NO QUESTION IN MY MIND
AS TO THE LOYALTY
OF MR. STEVENSON.
BUT THE QUESTION IS ONE
AS TO HIS JUDGMENT.
MANY GOOD AMERICANS
ARE CONCERNED
BY THE WAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMAN
AND GOVERNOR STEVENSON
HAVE BOTH ATTEMPTED
TO RIDICULE AND POOH-POOH
THE COMMUNIST THREA
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.
YOU READ ABOUT ANOTHER BRIBE.
YOU READ ABOUT ANOTHER TAX FIX.
YOU READ ABOUT ANOTHER GANGSTER
GETTING FAVORS
FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
THE PEOPLE ARE
SICK AND TIRED OF IT.
THEY'RE OUTRAGED
AND THEY WANT SOMETHING DONE
ABOUT IT.
AND THEY'RE TIRED
OF AN ADMINISTRATION
WHICH INSTEAD OF CLEANING UP
IS COVERING UP THE SCANDALS
IN WASHINGTON
AT THE PRESENT TIME.
Narrator:
SUDDENLY NIXON FACED
A SCANDAL OF HIS OWN.
THE NEW YORK POST REPORTED
THAT WEALTHY SUPPORTERS
HAD SET UP A SECRET FUND
FOR NIXON'S PERSONAL USE.
Nixon:
AND IF THAT WERE TRUE,
LET ME SAY FIRST OF ALL
THAT I SHOULD NEVER HAVE
ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION
FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENCY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND IF IT WERE TRUE,
I WOULD GET OFF THE TICKE
RIGHT AWAY.
BUT IT IS NOT TRUE
Narrator:
IN FACT, THE FUND WAS NOT SECRE
AND WAS EARMARKED EXCLUSIVELY
FOR POLITICAL EXPENSES.
BUT THE DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE.
AIDES URGED EISENHOWER
TO DROP NIXON FROM THE TICKET.
EVEN REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPERS
DEMANDED HE RESIGN.
Woman:
WHEN THOSE HEADLINES
FIRST CAME IN THE PAPER
I JUST WANTED
TO HIDE THAT PAPER.
I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE TO SEE IT.
I COULDN'T EAT.
I KNEW THAT IT WASN'T TRUE,
BUT WHAT COULD I DO?
Man:
WELL, WHEN THE WORLD
SEEMED BLACKEST
AND THE WHOLE NIXON CAMPAIGN HAD
HALTED IN PORTLAND, OREGON
I GOT A TELEGRAM
FROM HIS MOTHER.
I TOOK IT IN TO HIM
AND GAVE IT TO HIM
AND HE WAS SITTING IN A LARGE
CHAIR WITH HIS ARMS ON THE SIDE
ALMOST LIKE THE LINCOLN STATUE
THAT YOU SEE IN WASHINGTON,
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
AND I HANDED HIM THE TELEGRAM
AND HE READ I
AND HE DROPPED IT IN THE CHAIR
AND HIS HEAD FELL FORWARD,
AND TEARS CAME DOWN HIS EYES.
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT HE'D BEEN TERRIBLY MOVED
BY WHAT ALL THIS MEANT.
IT WAS SO IMPORTAN
TO HIM TO PROVE TO HIS MOTHER
THAT HE HAD NEVER DONE
ANYTHING WRONG.
Narrator:
WAS NIXON ON OR OFF THE TICKET?
GENERAL EISENHOWER HAD BEEN
FRUSTRATINGLY SILENT.
FINALLY,
AFTER THREE DAYS OF WAITING
A WEARY, ANXIOUS NIXON RECEIVED
EISENHOWER'S PHONE CALL.
AND HE SAID, "GENERAL," HE SAID,
"I'M JUST RICHARD NIXON.
AND HE SAID,
"I'M JUST A VERY YOUNG GUY
"THAT DOESN'T KNOW YOU
VERY WELL.
"BUT," HE SAID, I MUST TELL YOU,
GENERAL,
"THAT THERE COMES A TIME,
EVEN IN YOUR LIFE
WHEN YOU HAVE TO SHI
OR GET OFF THE POT."
AND THERE WAS THIS DEAD SILENCE
AND WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHETHER THE BALL GAME WAS OVER
RIGHT THEN OR NOT.
BUT EISENHOWER SEEMED TO TAKE I
AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE GIVEN
AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION
AS HE TOLD NIXON ON THE PHONE
HE REPORTED TO US
AFTER THE CONVERSATION
THAT NIXON SHOULD
GO TO CALIFORNIA
AND MAKE A NATIONWIDE SPEECH
EXPLAINING ALL THE DETAILS
OF THIS SO-CALLED SECRET FUND
AND THAT HE WOULD AUTHORIZE
THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
TO PAY FOR THE COST.
Narrator:
NIXON SECLUDED HIMSELF
IN LOS ANGELES
AND PREPARED TO USE
THE YOUNG MEDIUM OF TELEVISION
AS IT HAD NEVER BEEN USED
BEFORE.
HE WOULD BYPASS THE PRESS,
BYPASS EVEN EISENHOWER
AND PLEAD HIS CASE DIRECTLY
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THIS PRIME-TIME BROADCAS
WOULD COME TO BE KNOWN
AS "THE CHECKERS SPEECH,"
AND WIDEN THE GAP
BETWEEN NIXON'S ADMIRERS
AND HIS DETRACTORS.
TO SOME, HE SEEMED
HUMBLE, HONEST, SINCERE;
TO OTHERS, SELF-RIGHTEOUS
AND SHAMELESSLY MANIPULATIVE.
MY FELLOW AMERICANS,
I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGH
AS A CANDIDATE
FOR THE VICE-PRESIDENCY
AND AS A MAN WHOSE HONESTY AND
INTEGRITY HAS BEEN QUESTIONED.
AND SO NOW
WHAT I AM GOING TO DO
AND INCIDENTALLY,
THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED
IN THE HISTORY
OF AMERICAN POLITICS
I AM GOING AT THIS TIME
TO GIVE TO THIS TELEVISION
AND RADIO AUDIENCE
A COMPLETE FINANCIAL HISTORY
EVERYTHING I'VE EARNED,
EVERYTHING I'VE SPEN
EVERYTHING I OWE.
I DON'T REMEMBER
TALKING TO HIS MOTHER.
BUT HIS FATHER, HE THOUGH
HE REALLY DID ALL RIGHT.
HE SAID, "I HATED TO HEAR HIM
SAY SOME OF THE THINGS HE SAID
"BUT HE TOLD THE TRUTH
"AND THAT'S
WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR
AND THAT'S
DID THE JOB FOR HIM."
FIRST OF ALL,
WE'VE GOT A HOUSE IN WASHINGTON
WHICH COST $41,000
AND ON WHICH WE OWE $20,000.
WE HAVE A HOUSE IN WHITTIER,
CALIFORNIA, WHICH COST $13,000
AND ON WHICH WE OWE $3,000.
MY FOLKS ARE LIVING THERE
AT THE PRESENT TIME.
Narrator:
HIS WIFE ASKED HIM
"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE
HOW LITTLE WE HAVE
AND HOW MUCH WE OWE?"
"PEOPLE IN POLITICAL LIFE HAVE
TO LIVE IN A GOLDFISH BOWL,"
HE ANSWERED.
"BUT I KNEW IT WAS
A WEAK EXPLANATION
FOR THE HUMILIATION
I WAS ASKING HER TO ENDURED."
I SHOULD SAY THIS, THAT PA
DOESN'T HAVE A MINK COAT.
BUT SHE DOES HAVE A RESPECTABLE,
REPUBLICAN, CLOTH COA
AND I ALWAYS TELL HER THA
SHE'D LOOK GOOD IN ANYTHING.
Narrator:
THE CLOTH COAT REMARK WAS AIMED
AT THE TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION
THEN PLAGUED
BY MINK COAT BRIBERY CHARGES.
NEXT, NIXON BORROWED A TECHNIQUE
FROM FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT:
HE TALKED ABOUT HIS DOG.
"USING THE SAME PLOY AS F.D.R.,"
HE WROTE IN HIS MEMOIRS
"WOULD IRRITATE MY OPPONENTS
AND DELIGHT MY FRIENDS."
WE DID GET SOMETHING A GIFT
AFTER THE ELECTION.
IT WAS A LITTLE COCKER SPANIEL
DOG BLACK AND WHITE SPOTTED.
AND OUR LITTLE GIRL, TRICIA, THE
SIX-YEAR-OLD, NAMED IT CHECKERS.
AND YOU KNOW, THE KIDS,
LIKE ALL KIDS, LOVE THE DOG.
AND I JUST WAN
TO SAY THIS RIGHT NOW
THAT REGARDLESS
OF WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT I
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP HIM.
Nixon:
I WOULD DO NOTHING THAT WOULD
HARM THE POSSIBILITIES
OF DWIGHT EISENHOWER TO BECOME
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND FOR THAT REASON,
I AM SUBMITTING
TO THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE TONIGH
THROUGH THIS
TELEVISION BROADCAS
THE DECISION
WHICH IS THEIRS TO MAKE.
WIRE AND WRITE THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE
WHETHER YOU THINK
I SHOULD STAY ON
OR WHETHER I SHOULD GET OFF.
AND WHATEVER THEIR DECISION IS,
I WILL ABIDE BY IT.
I HAVE BEEN A WARRIOR,
AND I LIKE COURAGE.
AND TONIGHT I SAW
AN EXAMPLE OF COURAGE.
Man:
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR
OF NIXON CONTINUING
AS A CANDIDATE
WILL SAY "AYE!"
Crowd:
AYE!
Man:
I HAD CALLED
SOME REPUBLICAN FRIENDS OF MINE
AND HAD ASKED THEM
TO SEND TELEGRAMS TO NIXON
SAYING,
"DON'T DROP OFF THE TICKET."
AND THEY HAD REFUSED.
AND I WAS WITH SOME OF THEM WHEN
I WATCHED THE CHECKERS SPEECH
AND AFTERWARDS, EVERY ONE
OF THEM SENT A TELEGRAM TO NIXON
SAYING, "GREAT JOB
STAY ON THE TICKET."
Narrator:
NIXON STAYED ON THE TICKE
THAT WAS SWEP
INTO OFFICE IN NOVEMBER
THE FIRST REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION IN TWO DECADES.
Man:
DURING THE EISENHOWER YEARS,
NIXON BECAME THE POINT MAN.
EISENHOWER NEVER EXPECTED
TO HAVE TO GET INTO TOO MUCH
POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
HE PUT YOUNG SENATOR NIXON
ON THE TICKE
BECAUSE HE COULD DO THAT.
SO ALL THE TOUGH
POLITICAL ASSIGNMENTS
USUALLY WERE GIVEN TO NIXON.
ALL THE DEMOCRAT CONGRESS
OFFERS IF ELECTED THIS YEAR
IS A RETURN TO THE POLICIES
OF THE TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION.
Morris:
HE'S A VERY PARTISAN
CREATURE, AFTER ALL.
AND HE BECOMES, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, REALLY THE FOCUS
OF GENUINE CRITICISM
IN THE PRESS.
HE HAS ENJOYED ENORMOUS IMMUNITY
IN THE PRESS
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
AND NATIONALLY
UP UNTIL THE '52 CAMPAIGN.
AND HE SUFFERS HIS FIRST TARNISH
IN THE FUND EPISODE
AND THAT GETS WORSE AND WORSE
UNTIL HERBLOCK BEGINS
TO GIVE HIM A HEAVY BEARD
IN CARTOONS
IN THE WASHINGTON POS
AND HE COMES UNDER
SOMETIMES VICIOUS
OFTEN VERY TELLING AND ACCURATE
ATTACK IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA.
Announcer:
A STUNNED NATION HEARS
THAT ITS PRESIDENT IS STRICKEN
WITH A HEART ATTACK.
Narrator:
NIXON'S DETRACTORS
HELD THEIR BREATH
DURING EISENHOWER'S ILLNESS
IN SEPTEMBER 1955.
BUT THE VICE-PRESIDEN
SURPRISED
EVEN HIS MOST SEVEREST CRITICS.
FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS,
NIXON WAS A CAUTIOUS SUBSTITUTE
STANDING IN FOR EISENHOWER
WHILE NOT CALLING ATTENTION
TO HIMSELF.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
CAN BE ASSURED
THAT THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMEN
WILL GO AHEAD AS USUAL
DESPITE THE PRESIDENT'S ILLNESS.
UNDER THE PRESIDENT'S
LEADERSHIP,
A TEAM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
IN WASHINGTON
WHICH WILL CARRY OU
THE VERY WELL-DEFINED FOREIGN
POLICIES AND DOMESTIC POLICIES
THAT THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF
HAS LAID DOWN
DURING HIS FIRST 2 1/2 YEARS
IN OFFICE.
Narrator:
FULLY RECOVERED,
EISENHOWER ANNOUNCED
HE WOULD SEEK REELECTION
BUT DID NOT GUARANTEE NIXON
A PLACE ON THE TICKET.
PRIVATELY, HE THOUGHT HIM
IMMATURE, A POLITICAL LIABILITY.
BUT NIXON REFUSED TO CONSIDER
THE PRESIDENT'S OFFER
OF A CABINET POSITION
INSTEAD OF THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.
HE FINALLY
FORCED EISENHOWER'S HAND.
I MET WITH
THE PRESIDEN
THIS AFTERNOON
IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AND AT THAT TIME,
I INFORMED HIM
THAT IN THE EVEN
THAT HE AND THE DELEGATES
TO THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL CONVENTION
DECIDED THAT IT WAS
IN THE BEST INTERESTS
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
AND HIS ADMINISTRATION
FOR ME TO CONTINUE
IN MY PRESENT OFFICE
THAT I WOULD BE HONORED
TO ACCEPT RENOMINATION
AS THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE
FOR VICE-PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDEN
HAS ASKED ME TO SAY
THAT HE WAS DELIGHTED
TO HEAR OF THE
VICE-PRESIDENT'S DECISION.
( applause)
NO MAN COULD BE
MORE HIGHLY HONORED
THAN TO BE SELECTED
AS THE RUNNING MATE
OF SUCH A GREAT PRESIDENT.
I ACCEPT THIS NOMINATION
IN THAT SPIRIT.
Narrator:
NIXON WAS LESS AGGRESSIVE IN
1956 THAN IN EARLIER CAMPAIGNS.
THE PRESS BEGAN TO WRITE
OF "A NEW NIXON."
BUT THE VICE-PRESIDENT REMAINED
THE DEMOCRATS' FAVORITE TARGET.
Man:
I MUST SAY BLUNTLY
THAT EVERY PIECE
OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE WE HAVE
EVERY LESSON OF HISTORY
AND EXPERIENCE INDICATES
THAT A REPUBLICAN VICTORY
TOMORROW WOULD MEAN
THAT RICHARD NIXON
WOULD PROBABLY BE
PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY
WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
I SAY FRANKLY, AS A CITIZEN
MORE THAN A CANDIDATE
THAT I RECOIL
AT THE PROSPECT OF MR. NIXON
AS CUSTODIAN
OF THIS NATION'S FUTURE
AS GUARDIAN OF THE HYDROGEN BOMB
AS REPRESENTATIVE
OF AMERICA IN THE WORLD
AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF
THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
Announcer:
AS EVENING RETURNS COME IN,
THE TREND IS UNMISTAKABLE.
IT'S EISENHOWER BY A LANDSLIDE
WITH 457 ELECTORAL VOTES
TO 74 FOR STEVENSON
AND A NINE-MILLION-VOTE
PLURALITY.
I, RICHARD M. NIXON,
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR
Narrator:
NIXON WAS A SURVIVOR.
HE HAD OVERCOME
EISENHOWER'S INDIFFERENCE
A SOMETIMES HOSTILE PRESS
AND BITTER PARTISAN ATTACKS.
HE ENTERED HIS SECOND
VICE-PRESIDENTIAL TERM
AS THE REPUBLICAN HEIR APPARENT.
( applause and whistling)
RICHARD NIXON WAS THE FAVORITE
TO WIN THE REPUBLICAN
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN 1960.
EVENTS OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS
HAD MADE HIM
ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE
VICE-PRESIDENTS IN HISTORY.
DURING A TOUR OF SOUTH AMERICA
HE HAD FACED DOWN
ANGRY LEFTIST MOBS
THAT SPAT UPON HIM AND HIS WIFE
AND ATTACKED THEIR MOTORCADE.
MAINTAINING HIS COMPOSURE
THROUGHOUT THE ORDEAL
NIXON RETURNED HOME
TO A HERO'S WELCOME.
AND IN MOSCOW, HE HAD CONFRONTED
THE LEADER OF THE COMMUNIS
WORLD, NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV
IN AN IMPROMPTU
TELEVISED DEBATE.
THERE MUST BE A FREE
EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
THERE ARE
SOME INSTANCES
WHERE YOU MAY
BE AHEAD OF US.
FOR EXAMPLE,
IN THE DEVELOPMEN
OF THE THRUS
OF YOUR ROCKETS
FOR THE INVESTIGATION
OF OUTER SPACE.
THERE MAY BE
SOME INSTANCES
FOR EXAMPLE,
COLOR TELEVISION
WHERE WE'RE
AHEAD OF YOU.
BUT IN ORDER
FOR BOTH OF US
NYET, NYET.
BOTH OF US
TO BENEFIT
YOU SEE, YOU NEVER
CONCEDE ANYTHING!
Narrator:
NIXON'S COMBINATION OF TOUGHNESS
AND HUMOR PLAYED WELL BACK HOME.
IN JULY 1960
REPUBLICANS EMBRACED HIM
AS THEIR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
Man:
IT IS DECLARED, THEREFORE, THA
VICE-PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON
HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY NOMINATED
TO BE THE CANDIDATE
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
( cheering and applause)
Narrator:
JUST 14 YEARS
AFTER HE WAS TAPPED
BY A GROUP
OF SMALL-TOWN BUSINESSMEN
TO RUN FOR CONGRESS
IN CALIFORNIA
RICHARD NIXON STOOD
AT THE TOP OF HIS PARTY.
AS HE MAPPED OU
AN AMBITIOUS 50-STATE CAMPAIGN
HE WAS CHALLENGED
BY HIS OPPONENT, JOHN F. KENNEDY
TO A SERIES
OF TELEVISED DEBATES
THE FIRST IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
EVEN WHEN HOSPITALIZED
FOR TWO WEEKS WITH A KNEE INJURY
NIXON REMAINED CONFIDENT,
ANXIOUS FOR THE DEBATES TO BEGIN
EAGER ONCE AGAIN
TO USE TELEVISION
TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS.
AT THE TIME, THERE WAS A FEELING
THAT THIS, OVERALL,
MIGHT BE A MISMATCH.
NIXON WAS THE CANDIDATE
WHO HAD MORE PROMINENCE
WHO HAD BEEN A MEMBER OF THE
HOUSE, A MEMBER OF THE SENATE
AND THE VICE-PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
KENNEDY HE DIDN'T HAVE
A PARTICULARLY STRONG
REPUTATION IN CONGRESS.
THERE WAS SOME FEELING THAT HE
WAS, TO SOME EXTENT, A PLAYBOY
THAT HE WASN'
TOO SERIOUS A SENATOR.
SO PEOPLE FEL
THAT NIXON HAD THE EDGE
AND I THINK NIXON FEL
THAT HE HAD THE EDGE.
THE CANDIDATES
NEED NO INTRODUCTION.
THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE,
VICE-PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON
AND THE DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE,
SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY.
ACCORDING TO RULES SE
BY THE CANDIDATES THEMSELVES
Narrator:
THE NIXON-KENNEDY DEBATES
WOULD FOREVER CHANGE
THE WAY AMERICANS
CHOSE THEIR PRESIDENTS.
POLITICAL RALLIES AND
OLD-FASHION HANDSHAKING
BECAME MUCH LESS IMPORTAN
THAN THE IMAGE
ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN.
Rogers:
YOU MUST UNDERSTAND
THAT NIXON HIMSELF HAD SAID,
"I DON'T WANT ANY MAKEUP ON
FOR THESE PARTICULAR DEBATES."
WHAT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN
TO DICK WAS
THAT HE HAS CERTAIN
A CHARACTERISTIC OF HIS SKIN
WHERE IT'S ALMOST TRANSPARENT.
AND IT WAS A VERY NICE THOUGH
TO SAY
"YOU KNOW, I DON'T WAN
ANY MAKEUP"
BUT THAT HE REALLY NEEDED I
IN ORDER TO HAVE
WHAT WE WOULD CALL
EVEN AN ACCEPTABLE
TELEVISION PICTURE.
AND OF COURSE, J.F.K.,
HERE HE'D BEEN RIDING IN
MOTORCADES
ALL OVER CALIFORNIA
WITH THE TOP DOWN.
HE LOOKED LIKE A BRONZE WARRIOR
WHEN HE CAME INTO CHICAGO.
HE REALLY DID.
MR. NIXON COMES OUT OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
HE WAS NOMINATED BY IT
AND IT IS A FACT THAT THROUGH
MOST OF THESE LAST 25 YEARS
THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP
HAS OPPOSED
FEDERAL AID FOR EDUCATION,
MEDICAL CARE FOR THE AGED
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POOR.
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO SEE
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED.
I KNOW SENATOR KENNEDY FEELS
AS DEEPLY ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS
AS I DO.
BUT OUR DISAGREEMENT IS NO
ABOUT THE GOALS FOR AMERICA
BUT ONLY ABOUT THE MEANS
TO REACH THOSE GOALS.
Narrator:
THE FIRST DEBATE WAS
COSTLY TO NIXON.
THE RADIO AUDIENCE
THOUGHT HE HAD WON
BUT THE LARGEST TELEVISION
AUDIENCE IN HISTORY
HAD SEEN THE VICE-PRESIDEN
HAGGARD AND DRAWN
AND HAD BEEN GIVEN
ITS FIRST SUSTAINED LOOK
AT THE KENNEDY STYLE.
Man:
KENNEDY HAD A GREAT CHARM
FOR NOT ONLY THE VOTERS,
BUT ALSO FOR THE PRESS.
THE PRESS CORPS HAD SORT OF
A LOVE AFFAIR WITH JACK KENNEDY
AND NO MATTER WHAT THINGS WE
MIGHT DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER
WE COULD SERVE A HOT MEAL,
THEY WOULD SERVE A COLD MEAL
AND THE PRESS
WOULD LIKE THE COLD BETTER
AND SO THAT HE FEL
HE WAS RUNNING UP
AGAINST IMPOSSIBLE ODDS.
AND I SAY WE CAN'T AFFORD
TO HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE
AS A TRAINING GROUND
FOR AN INEXPERIENCED MAN
WHO IS RASH AND IMPULSIVE.
THIS ADMINISTRATION
HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE
HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE
THAT IN THESE CHANGING TIMES
WITH A REVOLUTION OF RISING
EXPECTATIONS SWEEPING THE GLOBE
THE UNITED STATES
HAS LOST ITS IMAGE
AS A NEW, STRONG, VITAL,
REVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY.
I HAVE BEEN TO RUSSIA
AND I'VE SEEN IT.
I'VE BEEN TO THE UNITED STATES,
I'VE SEEN IT.
AND THERE IS NO NEED
FOR A SECOND-RATE PSYCHOLOGY
ON THE PART OF ANY AMERICAN.
Reporter:
MR. VICE-PRESIDENT,
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF YOUR
RECEPTION TODAY?
WELL, OF COURSE IT WAS
THE GREATEST OF THE CAMPAIGN
AND I THINK THIS MEANS
THAT WE'RE ON THE WAY
TO VICTORY
IN NEW YORK.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
DO YOU AGREE?
OH, IT WAS WONDERFUL.
Crowd:
WE WANT NIXON,
WE WANT NIXON! ♪
WE WANT NIXON
TO BE OUR PRESIDENT. ♪
Narrator:
ELECTION NIGHT, NIXON REMEMBERED
WAS THE LONGEST NIGH
OF HIS LIFE.
IT APPEARED AT FIRS
TO BE A KENNEDY SWEEP
THEN BECAME TOO CLOSE TO CALL
THEN EDGED BACK
TOWARD KENNEDY AGAIN.
AND I
PLEASE, PLEASE
JUST A MINUTE.
AND I
AS I LOOK A
THE BOARD HERE
WHILE THERE ARE STILL
SOME RESULTS STILL TO COME IN
IF THE PRESEN
TREND CONTINUES
MR. KENNEDY,
SENATOR KENNEDY
WILL BE
THE NEXT PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Crowd:
NO, NO!
I JUST
AND I WANT
EXCUSE ME
Crowd:
WE WANT NIXON!
WE WANT NIXON!
WE WANT NIXON!
( chanting continues)
Narrator:
IN THE END, IT PROVED TO BE
ONE OF THE CLOSEST ELECTIONS
IN HISTORY.
KENNEDY WON
BY ONLY 100,000 VOTES
AND CHARGES OF DEMOCRATIC FRAUD
WERE WIDESPREAD.
MUCH OF THE WINNING MARGIN
CAME FROM LYNDON JOHNSON'S TEXAS
AND RICHARD J. DALEY'S CHICAGO.
BUT NIXON REFUSED
TO DEMAND A RECOUNT.
"IF IT FAILED
TO CHANGE THE RESULTS," HE WROTE
"CHARGES OF SORE LOSER WOULD
FOLLOW ME THROUGH HISTORY
AND REMOVE ANY POSSIBILITY
OF A FURTHER POLITICAL CAREER."
RICHARD NIXON IS FOREVER
EMBITTERED BY THE EXPERIENCE
AND, TAKEN WITH THE EXAMPLE
I THINK FEELS THAT NEVER AGAIN
WILL HE BE CAUGHT SHOR
NEVER AGAIN
WILL HIS OPPONENTS OUTDO HIM
AND NEVER AGAIN WILL HE TRUS
THE ORDINARY, NORMAL AND HONES
DEVICES OF AMERICAN POLITICS
TO FUNCTION
AS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
Narrator:
IN HIS LAST OFFICIAL AC
AS VICE-PRESIDEN
NIXON PRESIDED
OVER A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
ON JANUARY 6, 1961,
AND ANNOUNCED HIS OWN DEFEAT.
I NOW DECLARE
THAT JOHN F. KENNEDY
HAS BEEN ELECTED PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND LYNDON JOHNSON
VICE-PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO LONG, DICK,
I CERTAINLY ENJOYED
SITTING BACK
HERE WITH YOU.
Kennedy:
I, JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR
THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE
THE OFFICE
OF PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES
AND WILL,
TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY
PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES, SO HELP ME GOD.
Man:
WELL, HE HANDLED I
SURPRISINGLY WELL.
IN FACT, HE CHEERED US UP
A GOOD DEAL OF THE TIME.
HE WAS STILL A VERY YOUNG MAN.
I'M SURE HE HAD THOUGHTS
OF THE FUTURE.
BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS
THAT THE FELLOW WHO DEFEATED HIM
WAS A YOUNG MAN
AND ALL OF US THOUGHT THAT MEAN
AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS
FOR JACK KENNEDY
AND WHAT IS NIXON GOING TO DO
FOR EIGHT YEARS?
CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME ♪
RIGHT BACK
WHERE I STARTED FROM! ♪
Nixon:
I SHALL NOT BE A CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDEN
OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1964.
I SHALL BE
A CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN 1962.
THAT'S WHY
I CAN HARDLY WAIT ♪
Narrator:
BUT NIXON HAD BEEN OUT OF TOUCH
WITH CALIFORNIA FOR TOO LONG.
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINS
INCUMBENT GOVERNOR PAT BROWN
WAS BITTER AND EXHAUSTING.
NIXON WAS SOUNDLY DEFEATED.
REPORTERS IN LOS ANGELES
WERE TOLD
THE LOSING CANDIDATE HAD LEF
AND WOULD NOT MAKE A STATEMENT.
BUT NIXON, HIS ANGER TOWARD
THE PRESS BUILDING FOR YEARS
RESOLVED TO HAVE THE LAST WORD.
FOR 16 YEARS,
EVER SINCE THE HISS CASE
YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN
A LOT OF FUN.
YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO ATTACK ME
AND I THINK I'VE GIVEN
AS GOOD AS I'VE TAKEN.
I LEAVE YOU GENTLEMEN NOW
AND YOU WILL NOW WRITE I
YOU WILL INTERPRET IT,
THAT'S YOUR RIGHT.
BUT AS I LEAVE YOU,
I WANT YOU TO KNOW
JUST THINK HOW MUCH
YOU'RE GOING TO BE MISSING.
YOU DON'T HAVE NIXON
TO KICK AROUND ANYMORE.
BECAUSE, GENTLEMEN, THIS IS
MY LAST PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND I HOPE THA
WHAT I HAVE SAID TODAY
WILL AT LEAST MAKE TELEVISION,
RADIO, THE PRESS RECOGNIZE
THAT THEY HAVE A RIGH
AND A RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT IF THEY'RE AGAINS
A CANDIDATE, GIVE HIM THE SHAF
BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE
IF THEY GIVE HIM THE SHAF
PUT ONE, LONELY REPORTER
ON THE CAMPAIGN
WHO WILL REPORT WHA
THE CANDIDATE SAYS NOW AND THEN.
THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN,
AND GOOD DAY.
Narrator:
AN ANGRY, RESENTFUL
RICHARD NIXON
STRODE FROM THE BEVERLY HILTON
ON NOVEMBER 7, 1962
SEEMINGLY BOUND
FOR POLITICAL OBLIVION.
"BARRING A MIRACLE,"
SAID TIME MAGAZINE
RICHARD NIXON'S POLITICAL CAREER
WAS OVER.