37

Richard Nixon
37th President of the United States

Richard Nixon

1969-1974

Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew (1969-73)
                           Gerald R. Ford (1973-74)
Born: January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California
Died: April 22, 1994, in New York, New York
Career/Occupation: General
Religion: Quaker (Society of Friends)
Education: Graduated from Whittier College (1934) and Duke University Law School (1937)
Political Party: Republican
Nickname(s): None
Secret Service Codename: Searchlight




Other Government Positions:

• Attorney for U.S. Office of Emergency Management, 1942 
• Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1947-51 
• United States Senator, 1951-53 
• Vice President, 1953-61 (under Eisenhower)

Presidential Salary: $200,000 + $50,000 expense account

Presidential Firsts:

• The first president who did not immediately succeed the president (Dwight Eisenhower) for whom he served as vice president.

  He served as vice president from 1953 to 1961. He ran to succeed Eisenhower in 1960 but lost the general election. He was first elected president in 1968 and took office in 1969. 

• The first president to be elected twice to both the presidency (1968 and 1972) and vice presidency (1952 and 1956). 
• The first president (along with past president John F. Kennedy) to have participated in the first presidential debates.

  He participated in four televised debates in 1960. 

• The first president born in California. First president to visit the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, Romania, Yugoslavia, Israel, Poland, Iceland, Jordan and Syria while in office.
• The first president to resign from the presidency.

  The resignation of Nixon in 1974, was a result of the Watergate scandal. There were efforts by the United States House of Representatives to impeach the president for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. Nixon had also lost the support of his own party.

• The first president to appoint a vice president under Section 2 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.  
• The first president to be pardoned by another president (Gerald Ford).

  The pardon of Richard Nixon in 1974, gave Nixon a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while president.

• The first president born on the West Coast. First president to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  
• The first president to meet an emperor of Japan, having met Hirohito in 1971. 
• The first president to be named Time Man of the Year for his reelection. First president to visit all 50 states.