Richard Nixon Essay -- Presidents Biography Essays

Richard NixonThe electric chair of the United States is often considered the most powerful elected official in the world. The chairman leads a solid ground of great wealth and military strength. Presidents have often provided decisive leadership in times of crisis, and they have shaped many important events in history. The President has many roles and performs many duties. As chief executive, the President makes sure that federal laws are enforced. As commander in chief of the nations armed forces, the President is prudent for national defense. As foreign policy director, the President determines United States relation with other nations. As legislative leader, the President recommends new laws and grows to win their passage. As head of a political party, the President helps mold the partys positions on national and foreign issues. As popular leader, the President tries to inspire the American people to work together to meet the nations goals. Fin every(prenominal)y, a s chief of state, the President performs a large variety of ceremonial duties.The thirty-seventh President, Richard Milhous Nixon, was born on January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California. He was the morsel of the five sons of Francis Anthony Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon. At the age of about ten, he began working part time as a bean picker. During his teens, he worked as a jack of all trades in a packinghouse, janitor at a swimming pool, and barker at an amusement park. While in college, Nixon served as bookkeeper and as manager of the vegetable subdivision of his fathers store. Always a good student, he was invited by Harvard and Yale to apply for scholarships, but his older brothers illness and the Depression made his presence close to home necessary. So he attended nearby Whittier College, where he graduated second in his class in 1934. He went on to law school at Duke University, where his serious-mindedness and determination won him the nickname Gloomy Gus. He gradu ated third in his class and applied for jobs with both large northeastern law firms and the FBI. His applications were all rejected, so he was forced to go home to southern California, where his mother helped get him a job at a friends local law firm. soon after returning home, Nixon met Thelma Catharine Ryan. At that time she was teaching commercial subjects at Whittler High School. They were married on June 21, 1940. The Ni... ...r resigning the presidency, Nixon sought to portray himself as an elder statesman. He published five books on US foreign policy The Real War (1980), Real Peace (1983), No More Vietnams (1985), 1999 Victory without War (1988), take the Moment (1992), and Beyond Peace (1994). By the 1990s, much of the scandal had been forgotten, and Nixon was once again hailed as a genius of foreign policy. He later died on April 22, 1994, in New York City of a massive stroke.Richard Nixons wife, Patricia Ryan Nixon, was an excellent mother and an even better wife. She was a tireless campaigner when her husband ran unsuccessfully for President in 1960, and was at his side when Richard ran again in 1968 and won. Along with adding over six hundred paintings and antiques to the White House, and encouraging voluntary service she traveled more or less everywhere with Nixon. She did many things to help the President, one for example, she visited Africa and South America with the unique diplomatic standing of Personal Representatives of the President. And again when Nixon was accused in the Watergate scandal she back up him one hundred percent. Patricia was always a charming and caring person.