Richard Nixon

By: Jason Trudge

Richard Nixon, President of the United States in 1969, was a driven, calculating, and deeply guarded man. Born into poverty in California, he rose through grit and ambition, becoming a prominent anti-Communist and serving as Vice President under Eisenhower. After losing the presidency to Kennedy in 1960 and the California governorship in 1962, he made a dramatic political comeback, finally achieving the presidency in January 1969.

Nixon distrusted liberals, the press, and the counterculture of the 1960s, positioning himself as a champion of “law and order.” He valued loyalty and control, often masking deep insecurity behind a stiff, statesmanlike manner. Though capable of strategic brilliance, he was socially awkward, suspicious by nature, and prone to paranoia. In any room, Nixon would be watching, calculating, and quietly asserting power—rarely showing his hand, but always playing the game.