Hating Richard Nixon is Good Exercise

Jack Shafer at Slate takes stock of the newest Nixon tape releases:

http://www.slate.com/id/2277720/

From his throne in hell, Richard Nixon commands our attention once again with newly released White House tapes from February and March 1973 that drop another tanker load of piss and bile on Jews.

"The Jews are just a very aggressive and abrasive and obnoxious personality," he told an aide."Most Jewish people are insecure. And that's why they have to prove things," he said.

"I didn't notice many Jewish names coming back from Vietnam on any of those lists; I don't know how the hell they avoid it," he remarked.

When then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said, "If [the Soviets] put Jews into gas chambers in the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern," Nixon concurred. "I know."

[...]

Give a listen to the way Nixon talked about members of the tribe:

Going after all these Jews. Just find one that is a Jew, will you … —July 2, 1971

The Jews are born spies. You notice how many of them are? They're just in it up to their necks. … Also, an arrogance, an arrogance that says—that's what makes a spy. He puts himself above the law. —July, 5, 1971

Bob, please get me the names of the Jews, you know, the big Jewish contributors of the Democrats. … All right. Could we please investigate some of the cocksuckers? —Sept. 13, 1971

Good. What about the rich Jews? … You see, IRS is full of Jews, Bob. … That's what I think. I think the reason they're after [the Rev. Billy] Graham is the rich Jews. —Sept. 14, 1971

This is national security, you bet we have. We've got all sorts of activities because we've been trying to run this town by avoiding the Jews in the government, because there were very serious questions. —March 29, 1973

There are some Jews, that you, that you might, as you might have guessed, doesn't mean that if there were some Gentiles it might not be this bad. There are some Jews in New York [who wanted an anti-trust suit] because [industrial and Nixon friend Robert] Abplanalp … makes the best val[u]e at the cheapest price. —July 11, 1973

Keep watching this space for the avalanche of Neocon hatred to be directed toward Mr Nixon's ghost at these new (well, not exactly new... newly proved?) reminders of what an awful, disturbed person he was.

While still shocking to see his animus and fear laid open, Nixon would absolutely be at the liberal fringes of the Republican party today. It's not a facetious question to wonder what sort of poisonous tape you'd have from the private conversations of Tea Party members? Not necessarily anti-Semitic hatred, but certainly the same paranoia about Liberal groups.