Richard Nixon At 100

Today and several days recently, America is recognizing the 100th birthday of President Richard Nixon. There was a similar celebration in 2011 for President Reagan's 100th birthday.

I have been to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California a number of times over the years. The Library includes both the birthplace of Richard Nixon and his burial place. Every time I stand at the place where a former President rests in peace, I find myself in awe. The picture below is of Richard Nixon's grave and headstone. Every time I've seen it, I have been struck by that quote on it, "The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker."

Classic Nixon

The Nixon Library blog has an interesting post today recalling Nixon and his legacy. It opens with something I would consider to be classic Nixon.

In June 1983, at the end of more than thirty hours of interviews about his life and times, the conversation, winding down, now turned to “mountaintop” and “legacy” questions. The former President had already indicated his displeasure with touchy feely topics — “psychohistory is for psychos” as he put it. His answer to the question “Do you consider you’ve had a good life?” was: “I don’t get into that kind of crap.”

The entire post can be read here. The later quote is entirely worth reading, I just did not want to include it here and dilute the main point of my writing.

Happy 100th Birthday President Nixon.