Richard Nixon: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Fifty years after Nixon’s resignation, conservatives will only learn the right lessons from him by looking at him in full.

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Former president Richard Nixon at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, May 20, 1987.

Jean-Claude Delma/Reuters

Fifty years after he resigned the presidency, Richard Nixon is back. At least, some people on the right would like us to believe that he is and that it’s time for conservatives to embrace his legacy wholeheartedly and to reject the stale leftist narratives about Watergate (among other things) that have sullied his reputation.

It is necessary to reject the standard left-wing gloss on Nixon. But doing so hardly absolves Nixon of his sins. From a conservative perspective, there was good to the man and his presidency, but also bad — and ugly. Conservatives will only learn the right lessons from Nixon by looking at all three.

Jack Butler

About the Author

Jack Butler

Jack Butler is a former submissions editor at National Review.

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