The Nixon Administration Chapter 32 Section 2 1

The Nixon Administration Chapter 32 Section 2 1

Nixon in Person n Reserved and remote often seemed stiff – used modern campaign techniques Nixon respected for experience as Eisenhower’s VP – many did not trust or like him Grew up low-income family – never got over feeling of being an outsider 2

http: //www. albany. edu/jmmh/vol 2 no 1/nixon. jpg 3

Nixon in Person n Willing to do anything to defeat enemies- political, government bureaucracy, press, or anti-war movement Few close friends – secluded himself Wanted executive branch to dominate other branches – gathered close circle of advisors to pursue goal 4

Nixon’s Staff n n n Nixon avoided cabinet (generally independent minded people) – relied on White House staff to develop policies – team players with unswerving loyalty to Nixon Chief of Staff – H. R. Halderman – ad executive Chief Domestic Advisor – personal lawyer – John Ehrlichman 5

Halderman http: //www. totalmedia. com/images/halderman. jpg Erlichman http: //www. historyplace. com/unitedstates/impeachments/erlichman. jpg 6

n n n Halderman and Ehrlichman “Berlin Wall” protected Nixon’s privacy – stood between President and anyone who wanted to speak to him Attorney General, John Mitchell, lawyer Head of National Security Council – 1973 Sec of State – Henry Kissinger – Harvard Government Professor – shaped foreign policy as advisor and diplomat 7

Henry Kissinger John Mitchell http: //faculty. smu. edu/dsimon/Watergate/mitchell. jpg http: //upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/e/e 3/Henry_Kissinger. jpg 8

Domestic Policy Inflation n n Economy shaky, inflation doubled 1965 -1968 budget out of balance, unemployment continued to grow First priority halt inflation, get federal spending under control even if led to further unemployment Determined to avoid government control of wages and spending First few years in office little improvement – began to consider deficit spending 9

Inflation n Republicans traditionally chose balanced budget – hoped to stimulate economy by spending more money Same approach as FDR during WWII – advice of British economist John Maynard Keynes Imposed a 90 day freeze on wages, prices, and rents – Pressure from business and labor = lifted freeze and inflation soared 10

Oil Crisis n n 1973 Israel and Arab nations of Egypt and Syria went to war U. S. backed Isreal Arab members of organization of Petroleum Exporting Courntries (OPEC) imposed an embargo – ban on shipping oil to U. S. depended on cheap imported oil for 1/3 of energy needs 11

http: //www. morainevalley. edu/ctl/Middle. East/images/Map_Arab%20 World%202. jpg 12

Oil Crisis n n n OPEC tripled its prices OPEC – group of nations cooperates to set oil prices and production levels Oil prices added to inflation: bread 28 cents to 89 cents; gas 25 cents to 65 cents a gallon Consumers cut back on spending = recession Unemployment 9% - highest rate 13 since 1930 s

Social Programs n n Hoped to halt growth in government spending by redirecting and shutting down social programs of Johnson’s Great Society Dilemma conservative voters wanted cutbacks- Democratic blue-collar voters wanted programs 14

Social Programs n n 1969 Family Assistance Plan – provide needy families with basic minimum income – head of family had to register for Job training and accept a job when found failed in Senate but Nixon gained political points with voters 15

Law and Order n n Recognized counterculture began to lose appeal with general public – “silent majority” Sought to discourage anti-war protest 1970 demonstration at Kent State University in Ohio – National Guard opened fire on crowd Four students killed – Nixon implied students had caused tragedy 16

http: //www. wcc. hawaii. edu/facstaff/nuckols-j/Kent. State. jpg 17

The “Southern Strategy” n n n Little to gain in advancing Civil Rights – few African Americans had voted for him Sought strategy to win white southern Democrats Strom Thurmond – Republican Senator South Carolina – strongest southern supporter 18

Strom Thurmond http: //cache. viewimages. com/xc/2117694. jpg? v=1&c=View. Images&k=2&d= 17 A 4 AD 9 FDB 9 CF 1934 A 2752006 EF 5 F 0 ED 93 BF 83949 EA 632 D 85 A 5397277 B 4 DC 33 E 19

The “Southern Strategy” n n Nixon cut funding for fair housing law enforcement – made it easier to comply with desegregation guidelines – tried to prevent extension of Voting Rights Act of 1965 – Congress passed but Nixon made point with voters 1971 Supreme Court issued guidelines for busing – Nixon opposed busing 20

The “Southern Strategy” n n Nixon went on TV- ask Congress to halt it Allowed Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to restore funding to segregated schools 21

Nixon’s Supreme Court n n n Nixon criticized court as too liberal and soft on criminals First term 4 of 9 died, resigned, or retired Named Warren Burger, moderate, as Chief Justice replacing Earl Warren 22

Earl Warren Burger http: //www. oyez. org/justices/warren_e_burger /photograph/warren_e_burger_photo. jpg http: //content. answers. com/main/content/wp/en/thumb 23 /c/c 0/250 px-Earl. Warren. jpg

Nixon’s Supreme Court n n n Senate rejected first nominees reflecting his southern strategy – racial bias Successfully appointed Harry A Blackmun (1970; Lewis F. Powell, Jr (1972); William H. Rehnquist (1972) Tilted court in conservative direction 24

Harry Blackmun Lewis Powell http: //www. mnhs. org/library/tips/ history_topics/images/125 image. jpg William Rehnquist http: //www. pbs. org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/images/lewis_powell. jpg http: //bbsnews. net/bbsn_images_2005_summer/william_rehnquist. jpg 25

The First Moon Landing n n Nixon years fulfilled Kennedy’s 1961 commitment – July 1969 Apollo II astronaut Neil A. Armstrong walked on moon “That’s one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind. ” 26

Neil Armstrong “Buzz” Aldren http: //www. artcom. com/Museums/vs/mr/524. jpg http: //space. detecting. org. uk/images/buzz_aldrin_autopen_litho. jpg 27

The First Moon Landing n n n Armstrong and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldren collected rock and soil samples, set up scientific instruments to monitor moon conditions, photographed landing area in Sea of Tranquility Stayed on moon 21 hours and 36 minutes – quarantined 18 days – emerged to hero’s welcome Richard Milhous Nixon died April 22, 1994 – 81 years old 28

http: //www. medaloffreedom. com/Neil. Armstrong. Moon. jpg 29