Reflections of scandals past

Washington Times ^ | Friday, August 13, 2004 | By R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr

[JohnHuang2]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Reflections of scandals past

By R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr
Published August 13, 2004

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A brilliant article by Jonathan Aitken in London's Sunday Times, of Aug. 1 prepared me for the torrent that would surely hit America a week later with the 30th anniversary of Richard Nixon's resignation, Aug. 9.
    Mr. Aitken, a distinguished writer and biographer of the 37th president, reminded readers of the incomparable drama fevering the last days of the Watergate president. "End career as a fighter," Nixon had scrawled on one of his yellow legal pads hours before he planned to bow out on Aug. 1, 1974. His valiant daughter, Julie, however intervened with a scrawled note of her own: "Dear Daddy, I love you. Please wait a week or even 10 days before you make this decision. Go through the fire for just a little bit longer. You are so strong. I love you." And so he waited until Aug. 9.
    Mr. Aitken seems to have expected a 30th anniversary distinguished by intelligent reflection or, as he wrote, "an objective assessment of the man and his record," for "the hate-filled passions that he exacerbated because of Vietnam and Watergate have diminished with time."