Yes, he was a crook

It's kind of odd getting to the age where films are being made about events that I lived through and remember with crystal clear clarity.

I remember watching the David Frost Show when I was a kid in Detroit. I remember not getting all of the jokes but the ones I got made me laugh like crazy.

I remember the 1972 election, that was the first year I watched as much of the conventions as I could, it was also the last year that I could stomach watching the Republicans convene. I remember watching Watergate unfold and although I didn't fully understand what was happening, I remember knowing it was terribly important.

I remember vividly when Nixon resigned and left the White House in disgrace. And I remember thinking, "Good riddance," as he rode off to California. I knew even then that he was a small petty venal man with a persecution complex that was a mile wide. And everything I have read about him as I have gotten older has more than confirmed my youthful impressions of him. Yes, he was smart. Yes, he was a good international statesman, but the facts remain that he was a petty small venal man who did not hesitate to use his political power to lash out at his enemies, both real and perceived. The fear that he might strike out and arrest journalists, anti war demonstrators, or even ordinary citizens who disagreed with him was real and not unfounded.

I remember watching the interviews David Frost did with Nixon in 1977. It was fascinating to me to see Nixon desperately try to salvage himself from the scrap heap of history.

Last night we finally saw this film:
I had resisted seeing it because I didn't think the story was going to be compelling, I was wrong, it's very compelling. I also resisted it because I'm currently sick of Ron Howard and his schmaltzy movies, his brother Clint, and his uber pretentious daughter Bryce Howard. And really, you'd have to be a pretty bad director to fuck this story up and thankfully Howard didn't do that. But he did cast his creepy brother Clint and for that he deserves a bitch slap.

All the non interview stuff in the movie is fictional, so take it for what you will but they did a great job of recreating the interviews between Frost and Nixon.

Langella, who I had major reservations about, and Sheen are both very good in their roles. And this is probably the best work Sam Rockwell has done since his Chuck Barris bio of a few years back. Ron Howard did do one thing I find commendable and that's reigning in the usually bombastically over the top Oliver Platt.

Despite the presence of Clint Howard, the direction of Ron Howard, and the casting of Oliver Platt, I recommend this film because it shows you that Nixon was indeed a crook who deserved the disgrace and shame he brought on himself and his legacy. It's a shame that Gerald Ford pardoned him because he did commit crimes that were prosecution worthy. And when people say that all the Presidents are crooks but Nixon was the only one who got caught, punch them in the crotch for being stupid enough to say something so patently dumb.

Question of the day

Today's question of the day comes to us from Stephanie S. Steph, do you mind if I call you "Steph" Stephanie?, asks: If there was one little known yet important historical event that you could make all Americans aware of, what would it be?


I'd pick the shameful events of Sept. 11, 1973 and it's aftermath.

Nixon and Kissinger gave their tacit approval for the overthrow of the legally elected and popular President of Chile Salvador Allende and on 9-11-1973 the Chilean military under Augusto Pinochet murdered Allende. Pinochet then began a campaign of torture and repression that lasted for years and years. Under Pinochet's regime people who opposed his views were systematically kidnapped, tortured, and murdered.


The question then is why did Pinochet do all this mayhem and murder with the approval and help of the Nixon administration? The answer is that it was done to force a disastrous economic system down the throats of Chileans. This economic system was the brainchild of Milton Friedman and his cronies at the University of Chicago. Chile under Allende was too socialist in their view and there was not enough foreign, i.e. American, corporations doing business in the country, or so Friedman believed. They convinced Pinochet to cut social spending to the bone, to open up all markets to American and European corporations, and to cut price controls on things like food and utilities. They also saw to it that most every business and industry that the Chilean government owned was sold off and privatized.


The people did not want any of this. They wanted Allende and his program of modified socialism. So Pinochet had to use force and torture and intimidation and murder to get the Chicago School plan implemented. Nixon and Kissinger and American corporations like Ford Motor Company and ITT all helped Pinochet rape, murder, torture, and terrorize his people.


The whole sordid story has been laid out in full detail in Naomi Klein's new book The Shock Doctrine. I'm about half way through it and I highly recommend it. I'm not kidding when i say it's probably one of the most important books I have ever read.


Thanks for sending in that question Steph!

I'm answering one question every day in January so send in what ever question you might have. I answer most anything as long as you send it in via email to me at monkeymuckATgmailDOTcom.

Favorite Repbulican Pick Up Lines

Larry Craig's favorite pick up line is:

Charlton Heston's favorite is:

"Let me kiss you like I kissed Dr. Zaius."

Christine Todd Whitman's favorite is:

"I used to be a dude, wanna see?"

Mark Foley's is:

"Bush's surge may not be working but mine sure is!"

Florida lawmaker Bob Allen's is:

"If you don't hurt me I'll blow you."

Condi Rice's is:

"You must be this small to ride the wild pulsating Condi Machine."

Our Chicken Hawk In Chief's is:

"Don't hurt me Uncle Dick, I'll do anything you want, just don't hit me again."

The late Dick Nixon's is:

"Satan, could you use a little lube next time?

This post has been brought to you by The Manson Family Values Foundation and the Moral McMajority.