Late Final: : A Very Nixon Thanksgiving

A Very Nixon Thanksgiving

A number of good blogs and columns have had many poignant or fun things to say going into Thanksgiving.

Nothing like that here.

However, instead, here are some words that then-President Nixon offered to America and the troops in 1971, as the Vietnam war was continuing to drag on:

THANKSGIVING is a time of summing up in America - a time to count our blessings, a time to express both as one people and as individuals our thanks for those blessings.
All Americans can be grateful for what they have received - for the rich bounty of a free nation. But some Americans can also be thankful for the knowledge that they have given - that they have contributed to the sum of this Nation's blessings.

None have contributed more to American than our servicemen. All of us have enjoyed freedom, but you have stood ready to fight for it - you have protected it. And so, in this special time when we give thanks to God, we give thanks to you as well for helping to preserve what God has given us.

Mrs. Nixon and I extend our warmest wishes to each of you on this Thanksgiving day and throughout the year.

Note: The message was released at San Clemente, Calif.

Not historic, or particularly poignant, but to the point.

By Ed Moltzen · 26 November 2003

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Thanksgiving, 1971. That was about the time Nixon was starting his re-election campaign on the platform of pulling the US out of the Vietnam war, only to escalate it AND attack Cambodia. This after winning the election because the voters believed his lies about a war. Hmm. Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.

Posted by: Jeff at November 28, 2003 12:08 PM

Can't compare Nixon to Bush in any way, shape or form. For starters, Bush isn't trying to win votes on a platform of pulling out of Iraq. He's trying to win American confidence by fighting and winning a war on terror and terror states.

Nixon told voters he would end the war. Bush says we'll be in Iraq for as long as it takes.

Posted by: Ed at November 28, 2003 07:01 PM

I believe it was the author of this blog who began the comparison by inserting Nixon, I was merely continuing it.

When I compared Bush to Nixon by suggesting they both lied about a war, I was referring to Bush's touted yet unfound weapons of mass destruction and imminent threat, not his policy regarding any end to the current conflict, his "Mission Accomplished" banner notwithstanding.

Posted by: Jeff at December 1, 2003 02:04 PM