“I finally arrived here in 1968. I had empty pockets, but I was full of dreams. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon and Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend who spoke German and English translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which is what I had just left. But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting government off your back, lowering taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger at the RNC, September 1, 2004
Listening to Nixon speak may have been a “breath of fresh air” in 1968. But now it’s almost 30 years to the day since Tricky Dick resigned in shame. And the Governator’s political action hero said a lot of things that just weren’t true. Nixon was a known liar and a certifiable crook, and when it came to political pool, Nixon liked to play dirty. As the star of Kindergarten Cop suggests, “Nixonian is an adjective” to which we can all proudly aspire.
Perhaps for his next big stump-thumper Arnold can insert a line about the good old days, when he used to play dress up in his daddy’s Nazi uniform and obsessively listen to recordings of Hitler.
Plante: How It Looks
