1970's Government and Politics | Nixon, Richard M. 1913-1994

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 1969-1974

Nixon and His Enemies.

As Richard Nixon resigned the presidency in 1974, he left the public with a bit of advice. Speaking to his staff, Nixon said, "Always give your best, 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." Ironically, Nixon's downfall was partially precipitated by his own pettiness, by his tendency to despise and hate his own enemies. At times, Nixon seemed to go out of his way to create enemies.

A Humble Background.

A certain amount of Nixon's antagonistic character perhaps stemmed from his difficult upbringing. Born in 1913 in Yorba Linda, California, he was raised there and in the nearby agricultural community of Whittler. His father was a hardworking converted Quaker who failed with a citrus grove and then worked tirelessly to eke...