Remove the traumas and insecurities, tho, and maybe he loses what made him so capable. My next tub book is going to be a re-read of Fawn Brodie's psychobiography of the man. I haven't read that since the early 90s, and my recollection is that I wasn't impressed. I'd like to think I have more knowledge and perspective at my disposal now, tho.Silent Majority wrote: ↑15 Jun 2023, 7:58amWhen he was good, he was very good...Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑15 Jun 2023, 7:41amWatching the final episode, a hodgepodge of things that didn't neatly fit in the other themed episodes. Nixon is so in his element when talking about engaging with the Chinese leadership. Very confident, none of the defensive aggression that he employs on so many other topics. It's so striking and illustrates how much his insecurities and willingness to give into the darker parts of his psyche compromised him.
Nixon!
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Re: Nixon!
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nixon!
Or perhaps Nicholas Cage portraying Nixon.
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
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Re: Nixon!
From Fawn Brodie's mostly dumb psychobiography of Nixon:
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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Re: Nixon!
I don't even really understand either of those jokes.
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Back in the 50s, that was hi-larious! I guess.
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nixon!
Glad it's not just me, then.
Putting a little stick about. Putting the frighteners on flash little twerps
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Re: Nixon!
Neither of you will ever be Ike's goon!
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
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A wonderful phrase I encountered in one of the Nixon books I'm reading. An associate referred to the working relationship between Nixon and Haldeman as "darkness reaching out for darkness." (Stone later appropriated and (mis)applied this in his film to Howard Hunt.) Such a powerful phrase that seizes the imagination and does, in fact, capture Nixon's own form of magnetism.
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nixon!
Look, you have to establish context for these things. And I maintain that unless you appreciate the Fall of Constantinople, the Great Fire of London, and Mickey Mantle's fatalist alcoholism, live Freddy makes no sense. If you want to half-ass it, fine, go call Simon Schama to do the appendix.
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Re: Nixon!
I've never seen that before! Pair it with one of his bowling shots and make a statement about … something.
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nixon!
That he's at least partially human?Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Aug 2023, 12:05pmI've never seen that before! Pair it with one of his bowling shots and make a statement about … something.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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A deeply human person, unfortunately. I finished one of the Nixon books I've been reading and one of the things that I lean to is that, apart from his age, Nixon had the makings of being a punk. Smart, weird kid, awkward, felt unloved, recognized the elites looked down on him. But instead of going in a direction that we'd understand as punk(ish), he desperately wanted to succeed within the system and to make those elites suffer, in the process embracing all the worst instincts we possess. That's one of the reasons, I think, I'm still so fascinated by him. A terrible, horrible, awful, shitty person, but he had the basics for being a good rebel if he'd turned his rage and anxiety in a different direction.
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft
Re: Nixon!
A bit nature rather than nurture, do you think?Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Aug 2023, 2:43pmA deeply human person, unfortunately. I finished one of the Nixon books I've been reading and one of the things that I lean to is that, apart from his age, Nixon had the makings of being a punk. Smart, weird kid, awkward, felt unloved, recognized the elites looked down on him. But instead of going in a direction that we'd understand as punk(ish), he desperately wanted to succeed within the system and to make those elites suffer, in the process embracing all the worst instincts we possess. That's one of the reasons, I think, I'm still so fascinated by him. A terrible, horrible, awful, shitty person, but he had the basics for being a good rebel if he'd turned his rage and anxiety in a different direction.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc
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Re: Nixon!
No idea, really. I'd like to think it's nurture because I want to believe we have more paths open to us when we're born—that things close off with time and experience—but I recognize that's mostly my preferred view of life.Kory wrote: ↑08 Aug 2023, 6:05pmA bit nature rather than nurture, do you think?Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑08 Aug 2023, 2:43pmA deeply human person, unfortunately. I finished one of the Nixon books I've been reading and one of the things that I lean to is that, apart from his age, Nixon had the makings of being a punk. Smart, weird kid, awkward, felt unloved, recognized the elites looked down on him. But instead of going in a direction that we'd understand as punk(ish), he desperately wanted to succeed within the system and to make those elites suffer, in the process embracing all the worst instincts we possess. That's one of the reasons, I think, I'm still so fascinated by him. A terrible, horrible, awful, shitty person, but he had the basics for being a good rebel if he'd turned his rage and anxiety in a different direction.
"Ain't no party like an S Club party!'" - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft