Sep 29, 2026 · 42 min · 10 segments
Richard Nixon wins re-election in one of the biggest landslides in American history. Less than two years later, he becomes the first and only U.S. president to resign. So, how did it all fall apart?…
Justine Landis-HanleyGuestSo in our last episode, we looked at Richard Nixon's rise to power and the political playbook that he used to get there.
Nixon didn't come from wealth, and for a long time, he was sort of an underdog.
But once he entered politics, Nixon became known for something else entirely, dirty politics.
He was a ruthless political opponent.
Again and again, he used the same strategy.
Find dirt on your opponent, blur the truth a little, and make sure the public never forgets it.
He even earned a nickname for his tactics, Tricky Dick.
But then, years into his presidency, Nixon grew afraid of people finding dirt on him, especially after the New York Times published classified government reports about the US's involvement in the Vietnam War.
If people are willing to expose the lies of previous administrations, what might come out now about his time in office?
Nixon became convinced that he needed to stop leaks by any means necessary.
So he created a secret White House unit called the Plumbers, whose job was to go after the Pentagon Papers whistleblower.
And suddenly, Nixon has this crack team of burglars in the White House willing to go above and beyond the law for him.
And that brings us to
now, the end of Nixon's first term as president and the campaign for his re-election.
So in our last episode, we looked at Richard Nixon's rise to power and the political playbook that he used to get there.
Nixon didn't come from wealth, and for a long time, he was sort of an underdog.
But once he entered politics, Nixon became known for something else entirely, dirty politics.
He was a ruthless political opponent.
Again and again, he used the same strategy.
Find dirt on your opponent, blur the truth a little, and make sure the public never forgets it.
He even earned a nickname for his tactics, Tricky Dick.
But then, years into his presidency, Nixon grew afraid of people finding dirt on him, especially after the New York Times published classified government reports about the US's involvement in the Vietnam War.
If people are willing to expose the lies of previous administrations, what might come out now about his time in office?
Nixon became convinced that he needed to stop leaks by any means necessary.
So he created a secret White House unit called the Plumbers, whose job was to go after the Pentagon Papers whistleblower.
And suddenly, Nixon has this crack team of burglars in the White House willing to go above and beyond the law for him.
And that brings us to
now, the end of Nixon's first term as president and the campaign for his re-election.
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