Not Quite Tricky Enough: The Nixon Presidency

Generalization: Richard Nixon was an exceptionally competent president and no more immoral than any other president of the last sixty years. He was often a true statesman, putting the good of his country far above personal advantage.   Nixon was also a clever politician, as his nickname "Tricky Dick" suggests.  But Nixon was not quite clever enough, not quite tricky enough to overcome the hostility of his political enemies.  Comment.

Potential ID’s: RICHARD NIXON, CHECKERS SPEECH, AGNEW, EUGENE MCCARTHY, BOBBY KENNEDY, GEORGE WALLACE, GEORGE MCGOVERN, DETENTE, KHMER ROUGE, WATERGATE

I.    Introduction

II.    Nixon’s background

III.    1968 campaign
A.    Republican ticket
B.    Divisions among the Democrats
C.    Nixon vs. Humphrey vs. Wallace

IV.    Nixon’s economic policies

V.    Easing of domestic tensions?

VI.    Nixon foreign policy

VII.    1972 campaign: Nixon vs. McGovern

VIII.    Nixon and Vietnam

IX.    Watergate