Richard M. Nixon

37th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-197437th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-1974

37th President Richard M. Nixon, 1969-1974

37th President of the United States
(January 20, 1969 to August 9, 1974)

Full Name: Richard Milhous Nixon
Nickname: None listed.

Born: January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California
Died: April 22, 1994, in New York, New York

Father: Francis Anthony Nixon (1878-1956)
Mother: Hannah Milhous Nixon (1885-1967)
Married: Thelma "Patricia" Catherine Ryan (1912-1993), on June 21, 1940
Children: Patricia Nixon (1946- ); Julie Nixon (1948- )

Religion: Society of Friends (Quaker)
Education: Graduated from Whittier College (1934) and Duke University Law School (1937)
Occupation: Lawyer, public official
Political Party: Republican
Other Government Positions:

  • Attorney for U.S. Office of Emergency Management, 1942
  • Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1947-51
  • United States Senator, 1951-53
  • Vice President, 1953-61 (under Eisenhower)

Presidential Salary: $200,000/year + $50,000 expense account

Presidential Election Results:

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1960John F. Kennedy34,226,731303
(map)Richard M. Nixon34,108,157219

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1968Richard M. Nixon31,785,480301
(map)Hubert H. Humphrey31,275,166191
George C. Wallace9,906,47346

YearCandidatePopular VotesElectoral Votes
1972Richard M. Nixon41,167,319520
(map)George McGovern29,168,50917
John Hospers1

Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew (1969-73); Gerald R. Ford (1973-74)

Cabinet:

Secretary of State
William P. Rogers (1969-73)
Henry A. Kissinger (1973-74)
Secretary of the Treasury
David M. Kennedy (1969-70)
John B. Connally, Jr. (1971-72)
George P. Schultz (1972-74)
William E. Simon (1974)
Secretary of Defense
Melvin R. Laird (1969-72)
Elliot L. Richardson (1973)
James R. Schlesinger (1973-74)
Attorney General
John N. Mitchell (1969-72)
Richard G. Kleindienst (1972-73)
Elliot L. Richardson (1973)
William B. Saxbe (1974)
Postmaster General
Winton M. Blount (1969-71)
Secretary of the Interior
Walter J. Hickel (1969-70)
Rogers C. B. Morton (1971-74)
Secretary of Agriculture
Clifford M. Hardin (1969-71)
Earl L. Butz (1971-74)
Secretary of Commerce
Maurice H. Stans (1969-72)
Peter G. Peterson (1972)
Frederick B. Dent (1973-74)
Secretary of Labor
George P. Schultz (1969-70)
James D. Hodgson (1970-72)
Peter J. Brennan (1973-74)
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
Robert H. Finch (1969-70)
Elliot L. Richardson (1970-73)
Caspar W. Weinberger (1973-74)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
George W. Romney (1969-72)
James T. Lynn (1973-74)
Secretary of Transportation
John A. Volpe (1969-73)
Claude S. Brinegar (1973-74)

Supreme Court Justices:
Warren E. Burger, Chief (1969-1986)
Harry Blackmun (1970-1994)
Lewis F. Powell, Jr. (1972-1987)
William Rehnquist (1972-1986)

Notable Events:
  • 1969
  • 1970
  • 1971
    • On February 16, taping systems are activated in the White House.
    • The Pentagon Papers, a top-secret U.S. Dept. of Defense study, were leaked to The New York Times. This document showed that the Johnson administration had secretly been expanding U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, further hurting the credibility of the Nixon administration.
  • 1972
  • 1973
  • 1974
    • On April 3, Nixon is penalized $475,000 in underpaid taxes and interest after an investigation by the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation.
    • On July 24, the Supreme Court ruled 8-0 in United States v. Nixon that Nixon must turn over 64 tape recordings to the Senate Watergate Committee.
    • On July 27, three articles of impeachment brought against Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress.
    • On August 8, Nixon announced his resignation effective at noon the next day.
Internet Biographies:
Richard M. Nixon -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
Compiled by the White House.
Richard Nixon -- from The American President
From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
Richard Nixon -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
Facts about Nixon and his presidency.
Richard M. Nixon -- from Character Above All
From a PBS broadcast of the same name, this essay excerpt by Tom Wicker discusses some of the issues and events that molded Nixon.
Videos:
Other Internet Resources:
The Best Biographies of Richard Nixon
In 2012, Stephen Floyd started his search for the best biography of each president. He usually has reviews of multiple biographies for each president.
"Gavel-to-Gavel": The Watergate Scandal and Public Television
Videos of all 51 days of Senate Watergate hearings. Includes summary videos and a list of the players involved.
Health and Medical History of Richard Nixon
Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
Richard Nixon Library & Museum
"Nine acres of galleries, theaters, and gardens; the faithfully restored boyhood home of the nation's 37th President; the resting place of the President and his First Lady; an innovative policy center to nurture their legacy." Located in Yorba Linda, California.
Points of Interest:
Additional Facts:
  • Nixon is the only vice president to serve as president, but not immediately after his vice presidential term.
  • Nixon is the only U.S. President to resign the presidency and the only president to receive a pardon.
  • Nixon could play the piano, saxophone, clarinet, accordion, and violin.
Quotes:

“We have endured a long night of the American spirit. But as our eyes catch the dimness of the first rays of dawn, let us not curse the remaining dark. Let us gather the light.”

“Remember, 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.”

“The American dream does not come to those who fall asleep.”

“A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself has missed one of life’s mountaintop experiences. Only in losing himself does he find himself.”

“I like the job I have, but if I had to live my life over again, I would like to have ended up a sports writer.”

“Defeat doesn’t finish a man, quit does. A man is not finished when he’s defeated. He’s finished when he quits.”

“When the President does it, that means that it’s not illegal.”

“People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I earned everything I’ve got.”

“You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”

“If an individual wants to be a leader and isn’t controversial, that means he never stood for anything.”

Previous President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Next President: Gerald R. Ford