Richard Nixon
The most complex president of the 20th century — Nixon opened China, ended Vietnam (after prolonging it), created the EPA, and desegregated Southern schools. He also committed federal crimes to win an election he would have won anyway, and became the only president to resign.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest U.S. Presidents of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank Richard Nixon significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography
No entries on record.
Awards & Recognition
No Grammy data on record.
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37th President
Watergate
only president to resign (August 9 1974)
EPA creation
SALT I
Moon landing (inherited)
'I am not a crook'
Saturday Night Massacre
Deep Throat
18.5-minute tape gap
Enemies List
détente
The Case For Richard Nixon
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Richard Nixon.
Often Compared To
Ronald Reagan
#2President / Republican — Tampico, Illinois · 1981–1989
The president who redefined the Republican Party and the modern conservative movement — Reaganomics, the end of the Cold War, and 'Morning in America' made him the most consequential Republican of the 20th century.
Rutherford B. Hayes
#3President / Republican — Delaware, Ohio · 1877–1881
The president who ended Reconstruction — Hayes won the most disputed election in American history (the Compromise of 1877) by agreeing to withdraw federal troops from the South, effectively ending federal protection of Black civil rights for nearly 90 years.