Nixon Had the Balls to Meet With War Protestors

[tritsofme]

Bush is hiding in Colorado.

TIME May 18, 1970

<SNIP>

Nixon was trying his best to reconstruct consensus, to show that if he was not embittered by the protest movement, neither was he cowed. He also attempted to display flexibility. He was not about to muzzle anyone, he said, but he counseled his subordinates that "when the action is hot, keep the rhetoric cool." He defended the Cambodia decision anew, but he also added that the troops would be coming out faster than anticipated. While not withdrawing from his tactical rationale for the Cambodian venture, Nixon gave an impression that was very different from the belligerent patriotism with which he announced the foray.

Singular Odyssey. Before dawn the next morning, Nixon impulsively wakened his valet and set off with a clutch of Secret Service men for the Lincoln Memorial, where he talked for an hour with a group of drowsy but astonished demonstrators. His discussion rambled over the sights of the world that he had seen -- Mexico City, the Moscow ballet, the cities of India. When the conversation turned to the war, Nixon told the students: "I know you think we are a bunch of so and so's." He said to them, the President recalled Chamberlain was the greatest man living and that Winston Churchill was a madman. It was not until years later that I realized that Churchill was right." He confessed afterwards: "I doubt if that got over."

Before he left, Nixon said: "I know you want to get the war over. Sure you came here to demonstrate and shout your slogans on the ellipse. That's all right. Just keep it peaceful. Have a good time in Washington, and don't go away bitter."

The singular odyssey went on. Nixon and his small contingent wandered through the capital, then drove to the Mayflower Hotel for a breakfast of corned beef hash and eggs -- his first restaurant meal in Washington since he assumed power. Then he withdrew to his study in the Executive Office Building to sit out the day of protest.

<SNIP>
http://cgi.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/analysis/back.time/9605/20/

Good luck to all of you heading to Washington, stay safe!

[HEyHEY]

1. But nixon was hoping they'd make a move and be shot

[BOSSHOG]

2. Clinton met with family members of those killed in Somalia

[Cha]

3. But, bush is a

eunuch.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Even though I'm not a fan of Nixon

he was at least a real politiican. Bush is just a corportate whore and can get to where he is with daddy. Nixon didn't have a daddy like that and had to get out of his own problems.

[tritsofme]

9. If anything, at least he was a self made man.

He grew up poor and rise and fall from power is very interesting to look at.

Tell me thirty years ago that I'd prefer Nixon back in the WH, I'd you that you're crazy.

[chelsea0011]

5. And he took all their names?

[Gman]

6. Another reason I would much rather have Nixon now

or even Reagan.

And, during those times, I never imagined I would ever say anything remotely close to that for the rest of my life.

[Skittles]

7. male body parts are not required for courage eom

[Steely_Dan]

8. I Must Admit...

...that I had to admire Nixon for that little gesture that morning. I always thought of it as couragous and an act of character. As wrong as Nixon was, he was a man...an honorable man who felt he was doing the right thing.

We could never hope to see such chaacter from Bush.

-Paige