This course is the first of two courses on Richard Nixon, one of the most controversial presidents in American history. This first course will cover him from his Quaker childhood up until his election for president in 1968. The second course, hopefully in the winter of 2027, will cover his years as president and also the remaining years of his life.

In the fall session, we will look at his early years in California and in World War II, his serving in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the 8 years as vice president under Eisenhower, his failed run for president against John Kennedy and his failed run in 1962 for governor of California. Many thought that loss had finished his political career, but we will see his big comeback, culminating in his defeat of Hubert Humphrey for the presidency in 1968, one of the wildest election years in history.

An unusual personality, a very controversial man, a political loser who wouldn’t give up, a man who achieved his goal in 1968. As with all presidents, he was both greatly loved and strongly disliked. In the second of the two courses, we will look at his years as president, the Watergate scandal and his post-president years.