European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse 1 page4cover Story z the t age of Nixon from the cd act Frame in others he is there on the fringe or in the background. But always there. Nixon hunted communists at the Dawn of the cold War and greeted the new russians at the cold wars end. He pioneered hrs television age in politics and also made the worst Campaign appearance in to history. When the Crosby Boom came Nixon a children were pictured in life Magazine. When men walked on the Moon Nixon welcomed them Home. He turned his race riots Vietnam the arms race Earth Day Woodstock watergate Nixon hovered Over it All. The �?T40s, the �?T50s, the �?T60s, the �?T70s, the �?T80s, the 90s a in every decade Nixon was on the front pages in the headlines before the cameras. He sparred with Truman served with Eisenhower ran against Kennedy succeeded Johnson appointed Ford set the stage for Carter advised Reagan sponsored Bush counselled Clinton. Five times he was. Nominated to run for National office More than any other figure in american history. Quot he was Able to make himself current for every moment of his life from 1946 until 1994,�?� said presic dental historian Michael Csc loss. A a he never a faded into you could say he towered Over his times but there was something about Nixon that did not a Tower a he was like the rest of us Clay. Veteran columnist Murray Kempton who chronicled the Nixon age from Start to finish remembered his ordinariness his one of us Quality. John Kennedy one of dozens of rivals. Nixon survived was a gleaming figure eternally the kid picked first for the playground baseball game Nixon you had to believe knew what it was like to be chosen last. He was graceless a Man who actually rehearsed his Quot Small talk and repeated the same asides each time he met you. He ate cottage cheese with Ketchup and wore hard Black shoes on the Beach. His smile looked like he practice it in front of a Mirror his sweat glands were Active his thick Beard needed twice a Day shaving. Showing up was Nixon a secret. Ceaselessly he strove kept working kept thrusting himself Forward. He made himself then remade himself. There was a Nixon and a new Nixon and new new Nixon. He Rose and fell Rose and fell Rose and fell and Rose again. Quot there was never anything obvious to generate up1 candidate Richard Nixon recognizes wild cheers at the Republican convention at Miami Beach in 1968. The kind of radiance he achieved. And yet it happened a said William Buckley the conservative patriarch a there was no Churchill there no Degaulle there a he lacked the natural equipment one would assume he would need. The fact that he continued to be ubiquitous was a heroic what Nixon had going for him was an unsurpassed head for politics. Campaign strategists speak of Nixon the Way basketball players speak of Michael Jordan he was simply the Best a intuitive and visionary. As Early As his 1952 Campaign for the vice presidency he went from unknown to vice president in just six year Nixon had figured out that Telvi Sion was the future. He saved his own neck by delivering the maudlin Quot checkers speech in front of the cameras. Later he became a hero for facing Down Khrushchev on camera in the hilarious Quot Kitchen a a. A a a a. V a television turned against him in 1960, when he looked Pale and nervous alongside Cool John Kennedy. So Nixon updated again. His 1968 Campaign was a a run by advertising executives. Breathes there an american Over the age of 30 who cannot evoke at a moments notice at least one Nixon Ian image the up stretched arms flashing the a for Victory sign his coat puckering behind his neck because he always forgot to unbutton it the frown of concern coupled with a waggling of the jowls the stiff president posing with a bleary Elvis Presley the Bass baritone voice intoning a let me say this about that.�?�. The president with Sammy Davis or. In Miami in �?T72. After the second debate with John Kennedy in �?T60. A a. It a \ Quot a he was to politics what sinal Rahas been to music permanent easy to parody a mixed bag of Genius and ugliness and incomparable endurance. And to paraphrase Cole Porter America got Nixon under its skin and once he got there he polarized and galvanized frightened and thrilled. He got into people s hearts and spleens snippets of his language lodged in your head like a popular tune. Anyone who Ever talked about a deep Sixing Quot a problem or said a we could do that but it would be wrong or a you wont have me to kick around anymore or laughed about a a Republican cloth coat or said a my Mother was a Saint a that was Nixon talking. Remember a pumpkin papers Quot a the Pink lady a a Tricky Dick a a Quemoy and Matsu a six crises a Law and order Quot a a secret plan to end the War a a the silent majority a a stonewalling a a i am not a a a / a when world War ii ended in 1945, thousands of Young men with big dreams rushed Home to their lives feeling detoured delayed hungry. And 50 years later those still alive were virtually Alt of them retired and giving Over their Days to yellowing memories. Nixon was writing books giving interviews touring Russia. What was it that drove him courage patriotism pathology a mix perhaps of All this and More. Whatever the source the result was that Nixon overcame More inner demons arid survived More humiliations than a Hundred Ordinary Public figures. Nixon was ridiculed mocked jeered spat upon. His sweat his whiskers his swearing his drink his pan. Picked prayers a All of it was aired arid pored Over. He kept coming Back. Many today will remember Nixon the Way Greg Mueller does. Mueller 31, a Republican Media consultant grew up in a staunchly anti communist Home where Nixon was admired even when he was disappointing. A the will be remembered As a cold War hero and students of politics will study him for centuries a Mueller said a and Many will remember Nixon More in the Way of Celinda Lake 41. A Washington pollster Lake left the Republican party and joined the democrats Over Nixon a conduct of Vietnam. A Vietnam and watergate marked the first time americans Learned that the government will lie to them. Now that cynicism is the Norm. Hie fault was not All Nixon a but it was marked by him. He is a metaphor for so Many Only the children will remember Nixon not at All. For 50 years he was Ever present. Now for the first time he can begin to recede. Richard Nixon who shaped so much history finally joins it. Sunday May 1,1994 a
