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I have to demur as well. The Wage and Price control thing was a disaster, and his Vietnam policy was to pull out and leave the ARVNs helpless against the armored blitzkrieg that finally won it for the North. That, IMHO, was a major strategic error, not to mention just a little hard on the 50,000 or so who died trying to prevent it.

Balance that against his approach to China, which I think may have re-cooled the Cold War at just the right time. But the press never forgave him HUAC, which is pretty rich for the employers of Walter Duranty. Overall, a man whose flaws were as great as his virtues, but quite unworthy of the hatred he still elicits from those who enjoy indulging in that sort of thing.

"I have to demur as well. The Wage and Price control thing was a disaster, and his Vietnam policy was to pull out and leave the ARVNs helpless against the armored blitzkrieg that finally won it for the North. That, IMHO, was a major strategic error, not to mention just a little hard on the 50,000 or so who died trying to prevent it."

Bingo. And don't forget the "decent interval" travesty attributed to him and "Hank." The concept that losing slowly with continuing loss of life was somehow a better strategy is truly warped.

I voted for Nixon in '72 as a vote against McGovern... regretted it as soon as I thought about what I had done [not about voting against McGovern but about what voting for Nixon actualy meant] ... and have not changed my mind during the intervening years.

At some point in the future I may once again hold my nose and pull the lever, but I pray that the person who gets my vote isn't another Nixon.