Just like his time in the presidential office, some of Richard Nixon's speeches were of a controversial nature. Nevertheless, they have become a reminder of his iconic personality.
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| Former President Richard Nixon seated at his desk, with family photos and the Lincoln bust statuette visible behind him, in the White House Oval Office in Washington, June 23, 1972. |
By Pritha Paul, International Business Times - Business
Sunday, April 22, marks the 24th death anniversary of one of the most controversial presidents in American history — Richard Nixon.
Elected as the 37th president in 1969, Nixon’s achievements as the leader of the free world — like ending the United States's involvement in the Vietnam War, fortifying ties with the U.S.S.R. and China — was marred by the infamous Watergate scandal in the early 1970s due to which he was forced to resign after almost getting impeached.
Just like his time in the presidential office, some of his speeches were of a controversial nature. Nevertheless, they have become a reminder of Nixon’s iconic personality. Here are a few of his quotes from Brainy Quote:
“No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now.”
“The Cold War isn't thawing; it is burning with a deadly heat. Communism isn't sleeping; it is, as always, plotting, scheming, working, fighting.”
“Only if you have been in the deepest valley, can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.”
“If you take no risks, you will suffer no defeats. But if you take no risks, you win no victories.”
“You must pursue this investigation of Watergate even if it leads to the president. I'm innocent. You've got to believe I'm innocent. If you don't, take my job.”
“Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.”
“You must never be satisfied with losing. You must get angry, terribly angry, about losing. But the mark of the good loser is that he takes his anger out on himself and not his victorious opponents or on his teammates.”
“We cannot learn from one another until we stop shouting at one another — until we speak quietly enough so that our words can be heard as well as our voices.”
“Defeat doesn't finish a man, quit does. A man is not finished when he's defeated. He's finished when he quits.”
“When the President does it, that means that it's not illegal.”
“Watergate had become the center of the media's universe, and during the remaining year of my presidency the media tried to force everything else to revolve around it.”
“In the long term we can hope that religion will change the nature of man and reduce conflict. But history is not encouraging in this respect. The bloodiest wars in history have been religious wars.”
“If an individual wants to be a leader and isn't controversial, that means he never stood for anything.”
“Certainly in the next 50 years we shall see a woman president, perhaps sooner than you think. A woman can and should be able to do any political job that a man can do.”
“I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as president I must put the interests of America first Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow.”
“We must always remember that America is a great nation today not because of what government did for people but because of what people did for themselves and for one another.”
“You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”
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