Recently I watched the movie Frost/Nixon. I’m no movie critic and won’t pretend to be one here, but after movie I did reflect on Richard Nixon’s presidency and ultimately his legacy. Without a doubt President Nixon will forever be remembered for his role in Watergate. It might be one of the most obvious examples in this country of absolute power corrupting absolutely. However, the Nixon White House did accomplish a great deal, most notably improving our country’s relations with China and the Soviet Union. While noteworthy, these feats will never outweigh the abomination known as Watergate.
My father Dan Evans spent the past 50 years in elected office and civic leadership, including 12 years as Governor of Washington State and five years as a United States Senator, I had the opportunity to meet many well-known celebrities, including three presidents, one of whom was Richard Nixon.
President Nixon provided one of the great, but not well known lines in political history. In 1974 Spokane, Washington hosted a World’s Fair named Expo ’74, which my family visited several times that summer.
For two years President Nixon had been battling allegations surrounding the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up. On top of his political problems tensions across the country were high, long lines at the gas station and rising inflation were forcing the country into a deep recession.
On May 4th, 1974 President Richard Nixon arrived in Spokane on Air Force One at Geiger Air Force Base and a small crowd of Air Force personnel and their families were gathered to welcome the President. As Governor my dad had the privilege of introducing the President at the opening ceremonies later that day as well as to the crowd gathered for his arrival. No matter what you think of the person or his politics, it is still a privilege and an honor to introduce the President of the United States. There was a small platform and he quieted the crowd and simply said, “The President of the United States”.
President Nixon came to the microphone and said, “Thank you Governor Evidence, uh, I mean Governor Evans.”
In August, 1974 Richard Nixon resigned as the 37th President of the United States.
Guess he had a bit on his mind that day in May when he stepped to the microphone.
Here I Write 