Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Where were you when Nixon resigned?
Old 08-08-2014, 08:08 AM   #1
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 327
Where were you when Nixon resigned?

When Nixon resigned 40 years ago today, my family was vacationing in Door County. My mom and I had been following the hearings all summer. Our vaca rental had a tiny black and white tv. We all huddled around it, agog, to watch his resignation speech.

Where were you? What do you remember thinking or feeling?
footenote is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-08-2014, 08:24 AM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
MRG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
We were at a concert, Mannford Mann, Queen, and Uriah Heap.

They broke for a short intermission. The crowd was very happy to hear the news. Not sure how many really understood, but there was a very stong positve reaction.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
MRG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 08:37 AM   #3
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 360
Ran out of gas on the New Jersey turnpike by Raritan. Two hippies in VW stopped to help unsolicited.
They went and got the can and the gas. They would not take any money, said "It was a great day in America, Nixon resigned".
jayc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 08:38 AM   #4
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Little Trailer Down By The River
Posts: 190
I was in the Army at Ft. Bragg. Obviously like everyone had been following the whole thing for months. Looking back, I personally think that might have been one of our finest hours as a nation. Constitutional government worked, no coup, no fuss, no mess. The President stepped down, the VP took over and that was that.
__________________
"Here's to them who would read,
Here's to them that would write.
There's none ever feared that the Truth would be heard,
But those whom the Truth would indict."

Robert Burns
poorcarver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 08:44 AM   #5
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 327
poorcarver - Strongly agree that it was one of our finest hours as the transition went very smoothly. (Thank goodness Spiro Agnew wasn't still the Veep!)
footenote is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 08:53 AM   #6
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
We were on our way to a Pink Floyd movie and watched the resignation right before we left the apartment. I remember going to that movie only because of watching the resignation that evening. What a culmination of the previous ten years.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:02 AM   #7
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 251
I saw the news in a bar in East Lansing, Michigan. The locals were astounded that Gerald Ford was going to be president...
Mmm Rrr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:07 AM   #8
Moderator Emeritus
aja8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,645
I was working as an Industrial Engineer at that time, so I was probably at work.
aja8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:15 AM   #9
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
easysurfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,130
I was still in grade school. I remember the teachers huddling the kids into the classroom to watch the Watergate hearings (on a black and white tv of course) saying this is a big part of history and me thinking (great, don't have to attend regular classes).
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
easysurfer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:20 AM   #10
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
Quote:
Originally Posted by aja8888 View Post
I was working as an Industrial Engineer at that time, so I was probably at work.
You must have been working overtime? His speech announcing his resignation was at 9 pm edt.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:22 AM   #11
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
pb4uski's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,264
Unlike some more notable events like JFK assassination, lunar landing, and the space shuttle disasters I don't have a specific recollection but I'm sure I was at our family's summer home since we spent each summer there.

And I agree that the peaceful transition of power was one of our finest moments.

I recall the hullabaloo about President Ford pardoning President Nixon. Even though it was unpopular and likely caused him to lose re-election, in retrospect it was wise and enabled the country to move on and put Nixon and Watergate in the rear view mirror.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.

Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
pb4uski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 09:38 AM   #12
Moderator Emeritus
aja8888's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,645
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever View Post
You must have been working overtime? His speech announcing his resignation was at 9 pm edt.
Well, that's the best I can do since I can't remember. Realistically, I was probably out with my buddies drinking beer at 9 PM back then.
aja8888 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:18 AM   #13
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,983
With some buddy's down by the river fishing and drinking Boone's Farm. No celebration or feeling of anything special. Later I realized how enlightened we were that we knew they're all a bunch of crooks anyway.
__________________
Took SS at 62 and hope I live long enough to regret the decision.
foxfirev5 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:19 AM   #14
Moderator Emeritus
W2R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,473
I was in grad school full time, and also working full time at night. August 8, 1974 would have been a Thursday so I was at work and probably didn't even hear about it until later.

Honestly, that whole year was a blur.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.

Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
W2R is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:30 AM   #15
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
travelover's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
I was a few months into a 6 month, one lap of America, trip around the US in a converted Econoline camper.
travelover is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:39 AM   #16
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,320
Thirteen at the time and remember watching on the old B&W Ford Philco with my parents. The importance of the success of the democratic process was lost on me at the time but agree that it was in many ways a great thing. How utterly stupid. Seems to have set the stage for much of the politics to this day.
6miths is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:55 AM   #17
Moderator Emeritus
M Paquette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 4,946
Wow... That was, like, the 70s, right?

I don't remember.
M Paquette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 10:55 AM   #18
Moderator
braumeister's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,198
Maxwell AFB in Alabama, attending a military education program. Gathered around the TV with some classmates. We all marveled at how appropriate it was, and we gave RMN high marks for having the courage to do what he did. Made no difference what we thought of him or his presidency; we just admired the act of resignation and how smooth it seemed to be.
braumeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 11:02 AM   #19
Moderator Emeritus
Bestwifeever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
Quote:
Originally Posted by aja8888 View Post
Well, that's the best I can do since I can't remember. Realistically, I was probably out with my buddies drinking beer at 9 PM back then.
We waited til after the resignation and the movie to drink
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
Bestwifeever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2014, 11:05 AM   #20
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,894
I was in my playpen, probably.
FIREd is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Nixon 1974 steelyman FIRE Related Public Policy 20 08-09-2013 02:03 PM
If Apollo 11 had turned tragic--The address Nixon didn't have to give samclem Other topics 4 04-22-2009 09:30 AM
Are you better of than you were 4 years ago? GTM FIRE and Money 8 01-08-2005 06:30 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:33 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.