2. Family
ï Father: Francis âFrankâ
Anthony Nixon â owner and
grocer of gas station.
ï Mother: Hannah Milhous
Nixon â committed Quaker.
ï Siblings: Four brothers.
ï Wife: Thelma Catherine âPatâ
Ryan â Business Teacher.
ï Children: Two daughters â
Patricia and Julie.
3. Childhood and Education
ï Richard Milhous Nixon was born on
January 9, 1913, in Yorba
Linda, California.
ï Grew up in poverty and helped out at
his fatherâs grocery store.
ï Was raised as Quaker.
ï Had two brothers who died from
tuberculosis.
ï Attended local public schools;
graduated in 1930 at top of his high
school class.
ï Went on to attend Whittier College
from 1930-34; graduated with history
degree.
ï Subsequently attended Duke
University Law School, graduating in
1937; was then admitted to the bar.
5. Career before Presidency
ï Started practicing law in 1937.
ï Attempted his hand at owning a business,
which failed before enlisting in the navy to
serve in World War II.
ï Advanced to lieutenant commander and
resigned in March 1946; was elected as U.S.
Representative in 1947.
ï Was elected to U.S. Senate in 1950, serving
in that post until 1952, when he was VP-
elect on Republican ticket, with Dwight D.
Eisenhower; the two were inaugurated in
January 1953, re-elected in November 1956,
and served until January 1961.
ï Was Republican nominee for President in
1960, but lost the election to Democratic
nominee John F. Kennedy.
ï Also lost 1962 California gubernatorial
election to Democrat Pat Brown; after his
loss, he declared âYou wonât have Dick
Nixon to kick around anymore.â
9. Election as President, 1968
ï In spite of his decision to no longer run for
public office, Nixon sought Republican
nomination for President six years after his
defeat in California gubernatorial election;
other candidates of 1968 Republican National
Convention were Ronald W. Reagan (Governor
of California), Jim A. Rhodes (Governor of
Ohio), Nelson A. Rockefeller (Governor of
New York), Harold Stassen (ex-Governor of
Minnesota), and John Volpe (Governor of
Massachusetts).
ï Won Republican nomination and chose
Maryland Governor Spiro T. Agnew to be his
running mate.
ï Nixon and Agnew defeated Democrat Hubert
H. Humphrey (Lyndon B. Johnsonâs VP and ex-
Senator from Minnesota) and Humphreyâs
running mate Edmund Muskie, and American
Independent George C. Wallace (former
Governor of Alabama) and Wallaceâs running
mate Curtis LeMay; they obtained 43% of
popular vote and 301 electoral votes.
12. Re-election and Agnewâs resignation, 1972-1973
ï Was re-nominated by Republican party for re-
election in 1972, with Agnew as his running mate
again.
ï Nixon easily defeated his opponent George
McGovern (Senator from South Dakota) and
McGovernâs running mate Sergeant Shriver
(Ambassador to France; replaced Senator from
Missouri Thomas Eagleton as running
mate), winning with 61% of vote and 520 electoral
votes.
ï In the summer of 1973, Agnew was put under
investigation after it was revealed that he accepted
bribes of over $100,000, while he served as
Baltimore County Executive, Governor of
Maryland, and VP; on October 10, 1973, he was
permitted to plead no contest (Nolo contendere)
to single charge of failure to report $29,500 of
income acquired in 1967, provided that he resign
as VP.
ï Following Agnewâs forced resignation, Nixon
appointed House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford
to fill Agnewâs post; Agnew became second VP to
resign (after John C. Calhoun in 1832), but only VP
to resign because of charges of corruption.
15. Watergate Scandal, Resignation and Post-
Presidential Period, 1972-1994
ï At the same time Nixon ran for re-election, it was revealed
that five men from Committee to Re-elect the President
(CREEP) burglarized Democratic National Headquarters at
Watergate business complex; two Washington Post
reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, unfolded
solid cover-up of break-in.
ï Nixon had set up taping system and when the Senate asked
to hand over tapes recorded in Oval Office, he refused to
hand them over on the grounds that he had executive
privilege.
ï Supreme Court rejected his claim and forced him to give
the tapes up; although the tapes had no evidence that
Nixon was directly involved in the break-in, they revealed
his involvement in covering it up.
ï Faced with inevitable impeachment with his role in
Watergate, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, becoming
only president to resign; Vice President Ford succeeded
him in private ceremony the same day, granting Nixon
pardon in September 1974.
ï After his resignation, Nixon withdrew to San
Clemente, California.
ï Intervened in dispute between Major League Baseball and
Umpire Association in 1985.
ï Traveled extensively, giving advice to several politicians
including Reagan administration; also wrote about his
encounters and foreign policy.
ï Died on April 22, 1994, aged 81, from severe stroke and
blood clot.
16. Historical Significance
ï Whereas many significant events
took place during the Nixon
Administration, such as end of
Vietnam War, his visits to Peopleâs
Republic of China and Soviet
Union, and going to the moon, his
presidency is closely associated with
Watergate.
ï Trust in office of presidency sunk
with disclosure of this political
scandal; the way the Press dealt with
the office forever changed in
subsequent administrations.