Watergate gets new makeover at the Nixon library

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Last updated March 31, 2011 1:15 a.m. PT
Watergate gets new makeover at the Nixon library
MICHAEL R. BLOOD
AP POLITICAL WRITER

LOS ANGELES -- History is being restored at the Richard Nixon Library, where the Watergate exhibit once told visitors nearly four decades after the scandal led to his resignation that it was really a "coup" by his rivals.

For years the library exhibit that retraces the former president's notorious saga was a target of ridicule, panned for omissions and editing that academics and critics said shaped a legacy favorable to the tainted 37th president.

On Thursday, archivists will present a revamped and expanded version of the exhibit at the Yorba, Calif., library, a $500,000 makeover they say is faithful to fact, balanced and devoid of political judgment.

"What we tried to do is lay out the record and encourage visitors to come in ... and draw their own conclusions," said Susan Cooper, a spokeswoman for the National Archives.



Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1110ap_us_nixon_library_watergate.html?source=mypi

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[onehandle]

2. I can't wait to see the 'he choked on a pretzel' wing of the Bush Library. nt

[Sherman A1]

3. If I recall correctly they had to make the changes

to become part of the Presidential Library System (part of the US National Archives).

[No Elephants]

5. Self delete.

[tclambert]

4. How can you be "faithful to fact" and "devoid of political judgment?"

The man resigned in disgrace, one step ahead of an impeachment that would have thrown him out. The facts show he was absolutely "a crook."

The "balanced" part sounds like a Fox-inspired euphemism for pandering to embarrassed Republicans.

[No Elephants]

6. Easily, really. You give people all relevant facts--no slanting, no opinion and no conclusions.

You let people draw their own conclusions.

Not only is it possible, but it was once the goal of every single U.S. news organization that wanted to be taken even half way seriously.

Not saying that is what the Nixon Library is doing; just saying how one does it.

[Downwinder]

7. Tricky Dicky

[No Elephants]

8. Leave it to Rethugs to want it every which way, but truth, er, loose.

They pushed to have the laughingstock library of dishonesty become part of the National Arhives, yet....


"Nixon White House aide Bruce Herschensohn believes that Nixon's perspective should have remained, saying presidential libraries should be a "shrine."

"I can only come to the conclusion it will probably be a hit piece," he said. "This is the Nixon library. This is his place. He's buried there ... and so is Mrs. Nixon."

[Lasher]

10. Herschensohn and his pals can have a shrine on their own terms if they pay for it.

That's just what they had when it was run by Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation (now Richard Nixon Foundation). But the Bush league GOP Congress passed legislation in 2004 to turn this into the federally operated Nixon Presidential Library.

As a result they got Nixon's presidential materials that had been preserved in the Washington, DC area. They also got the prestige of association with the National Archives and of course the accompanying federal funding. Despite the objection of the Nixon Foundation, National Archives standards dictate that exhibits must have at least some resemblance to reality.

Sorry, Bruce, you can't have it both ways.

[groundloop]

9. Will they include a few photos of people partying in the streets the day he resigned???

Somehow I think not. Being in high school then I wasn't too much into politics, but I still remember everyone's reaction when he finally resigned.

It's kinda' hard to believe that the Clean Air Act and creation of the EPA were signed into law by Nixon.

[Javaman]

11. "devoid of political judgment"

It's at the Nixon library.

[applegrove]

12. I read that Nixon biography that tried to rewrite history and I fell for it. I was a real creampuff

back then and not aware how pollyannaish I really was.