Why the New Right Loves Richard Nixon
Bill Murray tells Joe Rogan that “they framed Nixon” after reading Bob Woodward’s book about his friend John Belushi. Vice President JD Vance claims that “the ‘deep state’ took down Richard Nixon” before an applauding audience. The Richard Nixon Foundation produces dozens of viral videos that set archival footage of the 37th president to modern pop music. Their hats, stamped with “Nixonmaxxing,” sell out in a few hours.
TL;DR
- President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, facing public anger.
- Only 35% of Americans approved of Gerald Ford's pardon of Nixon.
- Nixon was associated with a "Plumbers" team involved in a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex.
- Legal and journalistic efforts aimed to link the burglars to Nixon.
- The public perceived the Nixon administration as an existential threat to the American republic.
- Nixon's approval ratings and congressional support declined significantly.
- The Watergate scandal is remembered as an instance of a paranoid president abusing power.