Newly Released Nixon Tapes at Key Time Now Drawing Scant Interest

[kskiska]

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Dec. 11 — Reporters, scholars and, yes, prosecutors would once have given almost anything to know exactly what President Richard M. Nixon was saying in the Oval Office and at Camp David in the summer and early fall of 1972.

This was when the Watergate cover-up was taking shape, and Mr. Nixon had his first conversations about it with his counsel, John W. Dean III.

Overseas, the United States bombing of North Vietnam was intense, peace talks were under way in Paris and Israeli athletes were massacred by Arab terrorists at the Olympics in Munich. At home, Mr. Nixon was renominated for president, and the Democrats chose Senator George McGovern. Mr. McGovern's first choice as a running mate, Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri, was dropped from the ticket after the disclosure that he had been given shock treatments for mental illness.

All this was discussed by Mr. Nixon. But this week, when the repository for the Nixon White House tapes, the National Archives and Records Administration, released the recordings made from July through October 1972, almost no one turned up at the agency's offices here to listen.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2003/12/14/politics/14NIXO.html

[reknewcomer]

1. Reality check

Nixon is dead.

[SharonAnn]

2. But his souls lives in Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, etal

Be afraid, be very afraid!

[alfredo]

3. True, but his

legacy lives on. Much of what you see now from the Republicans is the reaction to Watergate. They have been getting even for it since then.

When Bork was turned down for a supreme court seat, it was seen as a slap in the face. Bork is the one that carried out the Saturday night massacre. His appointment to the court was to be his reward. that was why there was so much anger over his defeat.

The hatred of Hillary probably stems from her role in investigating Watergate.

Small world.

[MinnFats]

19. actually....

Nixon fired AG elliot Richardson because Richardson refused to fire Archie Cox, the special Watergate prosecutor. Then Wm Ruckleshouse became AG, refused to fire Cox, so Nixon fired him, too. Bork was next in line and -- according to Bork -- he fired Cox because it was clear Nixon was going to fire the whole damn Justice Department in order to find somebody who would fire the watergate special prosecutor.
i don't think it involved a 'promised supreme court seat' though Bork after that became a pariah to everyone center/left and slowly became a hero to the far right through his writings, etc.
if you have a source for the 'promised supreme court' notion i'd like to know what it is.

[bemildred]

6. Reality check.

Duh, we know that.
And Raygun is a vegetable.

[reknewcomer]

8. Yep, he sure is

Maybe we can use that line in 2004 to help seal our Dem victory. What do you think about that plan?

[bemildred]

9. Which line?

[reknewcomer]

10. "Raygun is a vegetable"

We could use it to prove that conservative thought makes one a vegetable. Think of the converts we could get.

[bemildred]

11. No, I think that would be a stupid strategy.

[reknewcomer]

13. But this is a public forum

So I guess it's a bit late for hindsight if you know what I mean.

[bemildred]

14. I have no clue what you mean.

[reknewcomer]

15. Of course you don't

Sorry to have confused you.

[bemildred]

16. No need to apologize, I'm not confused.

[reknewcomer]

17. Sorry to imply you may have been confused

After re-reading your post I now understand that you have no clue as you stated.

[bemildred]

18. About what you meant.

Perhaps if you explained it, that would help me.

[reknewcomer]

20. The "stupid strategy" you mentioned has been unleashed

Granted not by the candidate but by a source with the party name imbedded within the provider of said message. I thought it was obvious...sorry again.

[bemildred]

22. I'm flattered.

You seem to think I have awesome powers and influence.
I gather you don't come here much, if you think that is an
earthshaking sentiment of great political portent.

[burrowowl]

23. You mean

he is Ketchup?

[bemildred]

24. Eggzactly it.

[otohara]

4. New Nixon In The House

alot scarier this time

[kskiska]

5. You know, I hate to say it

but I think I'd prefer the old Nixon to what we've got now – and I lived through the old Nixon years.

[UpInArms]

7. who wants to take time

to learn from negative history when there is so much that we are creating today?

[farmbo]

12. But.. but.. but ..if Dean is McGovern, doesn't that make Bush Nixon?

Which makes these tapes timely once more?

[jsw_81]

21. I can't believe anyone could be bored with Nixon

He was fascinating. Crazy and paranoid, but definitely fascinating.