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Richard Nixon Republican 9 January 1913-22 April 1994 1969-1973 Vice President: Spiro Agnew (both terms)

 Nixon is certainly one of the more interesting presidents. He is a bundle of contradictions wrapped up in an enigma and shrouded in controversy. While he was involved in one of the greatest scandals of the past century he also helped stop the Vietnam War and pas some of the greatest protective legislation since the New Deal. He is both good and bad, and yet is something all his own. He gets a B for being a president that did great things but fell from grace after he succumbed to corruption and paranoia, moving from a grinning champion of the people to a sneering and lying scoundrel. **Theme**  Some of the greatest environmental legislation ever was passed during Nixon’s presidency, including the National Air Quality Standards Act and the Water Pollution Act, which helped protect the air and water from being polluted by toxic wastes and pollutants. Nixon also helped create the Environmental Protection Agency, which helped pass stricter regulations on businesses and corporations to protect the people from toxic chemicals in their food, water and air. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, so polluted that fish no longer lived in it, caught fire and brought environmental concerns into the spotlight. The years surrounding Nixon’s presidency were filled with a growing concern for the environment, with the first Earth Day taking place in 1969. **Goals**  In his first inaugural address and campaign Nixon expresses a desire to end the Vietnam War peacefully as well as to fix many of the social ills plaguing the country at the time, including drug trafficking, racial violence and discord amongst the American people. In his second address, he wanted to improve the image of America and Americans internationally. **Nixon and Congress**  Even though both houses of Congress during the entirety of Nixon’s presidency had a Democratic majority, Nixon vetoed very few things. He vetoed the Clean Water Act, not because he disagreed with the policy but because he thought too much money would be funneled towards it. Congress later overrode his veto, and Nixon impounded those funds that he thought were excessive. **Positive and Negative Outcomes**  The most positive outcome of Nixon’s presidency is that he passed so many pieces of legislation that helped the American people and protected them from dirty, contaminated and polluted air, water and food. Nixon also helped slow inflation and ended the Vietnam War. Nixon also improved the US’s relationship with China and several other countries. The largest negative of his presidency would obviously be the Watergate scandal, which lessened the faith of the people in their government and forever tarnished Nixon’s reputation as a politician. **Precedents**  Nixon earns the rather unsavory qualification of being the only president to ever have resigned. However, it was under his presidency that the first man was ever put on the moon, and he was the first president to go to China. He took a strong stance for the environment once he saw it was what the people wanted, and was generally a very popular president. The Watergate scandal was one of the largest scandals and subsequent cover-ups in US history. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Conclusion** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> While Nixon’s reputation was severely tarnished because he went out with such an unpleasant bang by resigning after the Watergate scandal, he was otherwise a pretty good president. His monumental accomplishments for the environment and for US foreign policy should not, and cannot be overshadowed by his more admirable actions. For the sum of his deeds he receives a B.