RICHARD NIXON and WATERGATE The Epilogue, The Re-Rise (Part 3) The Oxford Union Q and A
Manage episode 438105177 series 3445865
This was an extraordinary moment. It marks the beginning of Richard Nixon's long, and remarkable journey to the status of beloved elder statesman. Richard Nixon walked into the room a hated, disgraced, much maligned, but still historic figure, and he walked out having won the respect of everyone who witnessed his performance.
As he stood an answered questions on every subject imaginable he had to endure the verbal abuse of a huge throng of protesters chanting "No more Nixon" so loudly it is audible in the background of this video. Yet, Richard Nixon was unflappable, thoughtfully answering question after question about world affairs, American domestic affairs, the relationship between the United States and Europe and even questions about Watergate itself.
He answered them all.
It is an extraordinary performance. In which Richard Nixon offered a rare moment of acknowledgement that he had not handled Watergate as it should have been handled, saying "They were right I screwed it up and I paid the price."
That simple statement, in a lot of ways to a lot of people around the world, closed one era in the history of the life of Richard Nixon and opened what would eventually be seen as arguably the greatest and happiest era in the life and career of Richard Nixon.
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