Richard Nixon's November 1962 press conference

Last updated

Richard Nixon during his "last press conference" Nixon's last press conference.jpg
Richard Nixon during his "last press conference"

The "last press conference" of US politician Richard Nixon took place on November 7, 1962, following his loss in the 1962 California gubernatorial election to Democratic incumbent Pat Brown. Appearing before 100 reporters at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Nixon lashed out at the media, proclaiming that "you don't have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference." [1] [lower-alpha 1]

Contents

Nixon's electoral loss in his home state, failing to capture what was then a traditionally Republican state that he had carried in the 1960 presidential election, combined with his actions at the press conference, was seen at the time as permanently damaging his chances at playing a role in national politics. Nixon would ultimately win the presidency six years later in the 1968 election, making a political comeback that seemed nearly impossible after the "last press conference." [3] [ better source needed ]

1962 California gubernatorial election

At the time, California had been considered a reliably Republican stronghold. Following World War II, all of the state's governors and US Senators had been Republican until Pat Brown was elected Governor of California and Clair Engle was elected U.S. Senator in 1958, bucking the trend.

US President Dwight Eisenhower, with Nixon as his vice presidential running mate, had carried California in both 1952 and 1956, and Nixon defeated John F. Kennedy there in the 1960 presidential election. Nixon was widely viewed by the California Republican Party as its best hope for defeating the popular Brown to retake the governor's mansion, itself perceived as a prominent stepping stone for a rematch against Kennedy in 1964.

Early polling showed Nixon winning by a significant margin. The polls showed Brown, who made a point of not beginning to campaign until late in the season, closing the margin in the days before the election, but Nixon was still favored to win. Brown won the election, and the 5% margin stunned Nixon and political pundits nationwide. [lower-alpha 2]

Press conference

As election results came in on Tuesday, November 6, Nixon and his staff monitored results at a suite in the Beverly Hilton Hotel in what was becoming a tighter race than expected. Nixon's press secretary Herbert G. Klein held a news conference at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, telling the assembled reporters that despite trailing Brown by 90,000 votes at that time, Nixon was going to bed without issuing a concession, as there appeared to be sufficient uncounted votes in reliably Republican Orange County and San Diego County to overturn Brown's margin. [5]

As the night progressed, the returns showed a tide of additional votes for Brown, who had pulled 250,000 votes ahead of Nixon. By 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nixon sent a congratulatory telegram to Brown that read, "Congratulations on your re-election as Governor. I wish you the best in your great honor and opportunity which you now have to lead the first state in the nation." Klein appeared before the press and started his press conference with the announcement that Nixon would not speak to the media; 10 minutes into Klein's press conference, an aide notified him that Nixon would indeed speak to the media. [5]

A tired-looking Nixon spoke with a quavering voice, delivering what was described as a "15-minute monologue." [5] He spent most of the talk criticizing the press, his remarks interrupted only by brief interjections from reporters, but he acknowledged well into his remarks that the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 did not allow his campaign to get his message across during the final two weeks in his election bid. [6] Nixon began his remarks stating that "now that all the members of the press are so delighted that I have lost, I'd like to make a statement of my own." [6] Nixon insisted that the press had attacked him since 1948 following the Alger Hiss case. He said: "I leave you gentlemen now. And you will now write it. You will interpret it. That's your right. But as I leave you, I want you to know—just think how much you're going to be missing. You don't have Nixon to kick around anymore. Because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference." [1]

He accused the press of printing articles supporting their favored candidates and stated that while they may "give... the shaft" to future candidates, they should have "one lonely reporter on the campaign who will report what the candidate says now and then." Nixon reserved praise for Carl Greenberg of The Los Angeles Times , who he felt "wrote every word I said." Also praised was Edwin Tetlow of The Daily Telegraph of London. [5]

Aftermath

Having seen Nixon's remarks, Brown was quoted as stating, "That's something Nixon's going to regret all his life. The press is never going to let him forget it." [5] As described in his obituary in The New York Times , Nixon's farewell-to-politics speech made him appear to be a sore loser violating a cardinal rule of US politics so that it seemed to indicate "that his political career was over." [7]

Five days after the election, Howard K. Smith hosted a documentary, The Political Obituary of Richard Nixon, broadcast as a half-hour special by ABC as part of its Howard K. Smith: News and Comment series. The panelists were Murray Chotiner and Gerald Ford (one of Nixon's future Vice Presidents and a future United States President himself), who regretted Nixon's departure from politics. Jerry Voorhis, whom Nixon had defeated in a 1946 congressional run, criticized Nixon's tactics in that campaign. Alger Hiss discussed his bitterness at how Nixon had used him to advance his own career at Hiss's expense. While the program was on the air, angry callers clogged the ABC switchboard with complaints, many criticizing the decision to include Hiss, a convicted perjurer, to comment on Nixon. Ultimately, ABC received 80,000 letters and telegrams, almost all of which were critical of the network's special and its choice of panelists. [8]

The partisan nature of Smith's broadcast may well have been the beginning of Nixon's rehabilitation and ascent towards the presidency, with former Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey, the Republican presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948, writing to Nixon on November 15, "It seems to me that Howard K. Smith has been quite helpful, unwittingly." Noting that many people were outraged by the broadcast, Dewey went on to say that "Smith has proved you were right in your comments about the press". [8]

Nixon never showed any remorse for his remarks, instead feeling that the benefits outweighed any possible repercussions, noting in his memoirs:

I have never regretted what I said in 'the last press conference.' I believe that it gave the media a warning that I would not sit back and take whatever biased coverage was dished out to me. I think the episode was partially responsible for the much fairer treatment I received from the press during the next few years. From that point of view alone, it was worth it. [7]

As a political term

The "last press conference" has become a generic term for a politician's valedictory address, one in which all possibilities for future political activity are being abandoned. Alternatively, a politician speaking to the press after an electoral loss who does plan to continue in politics may state that it is not a "last press conference."

In an editorial, The New York Times noted Gary Hart's statement following his withdrawal from the 1988 Democratic Party presidential process, in which he stated that he was "angry and defiant" at a system that "reduces the press of this nation to hunter and Presidential candidates to being hunted," likening his remarks to Nixon's "last press conference". [9]

Dan Quayle, effectively conceding defeat to Republican rival George W. Bush in the party's 2000 presidential primaries, noted his relative youth and stated, "I seriously doubt if this will be my last press conference." [10]

Notes

  1. ↑ The statement "you don't have Nixon to kick around anymore" has been widely reported as "you won't have Nixon to kick around anymore". [2]
  2. ↑ Brown famously said that he would not even decide to run until "the snow flies in the Sierra". [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Nixon</span> President of the United States from 1969 to 1974

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and as the 36th vice president from 1953 to 1961 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. His presidency saw the reduction of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, détente with the Soviet Union and China, the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Nixon's second term ended early when he became the only U.S. president to resign from office, as a result of the Watergate scandal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 United States presidential election</span> 44th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1960 United States presidential election was the 44th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 1960. The Democratic ticket of Senator John F. Kennedy and his running mate, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, narrowly defeated the Republican ticket of incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon and his running mate, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. This was the first election in which 50 states participated, marking the first participation of Alaska and Hawaii, and the last in which the District of Columbia did not. This made it the only presidential election in which the threshold for victory was 269 electoral votes. It was also the first election in which an incumbent president—in this case, Dwight D. Eisenhower—was ineligible to run for a third term because of the term limits established by the 22nd Amendment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election</span> 46th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1968 United States presidential election was the 46th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 5, 1968. The Republican nominee, former vice president Richard Nixon, defeated both the Democratic nominee, incumbent vice president Hubert Humphrey, and the American Independent Party nominee, former Alabama governor George Wallace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States presidential election</span> 47th quadrennial U.S. presidential election

The 1972 United States presidential election was the 47th quadrennial presidential election held on Tuesday, November 7, 1972. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon defeated Democratic Senator George McGovern in a landslide victory. With 60.7% of the popular vote, Richard Nixon won the largest share of the popular vote for the Republican Party in any presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Wallace</span> American politician (1919–1998)

George Corley Wallace Jr. was an American politician and judge who served as the 45th governor of Alabama for four terms. He is remembered for his staunch segregationist and populist views. During Wallace's tenure as governor of Alabama, he promoted "industrial development, low taxes, and trade schools." Wallace unsuccessfully sought the United States presidency as a Democratic Party candidate three times, and once as an American Independent Party candidate, carrying five states in the 1968 election. Wallace opposed desegregation and supported the policies of "Jim Crow" during the Civil Rights Movement, declaring in his 1963 inaugural address that he stood for "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Brown</span> Governor of California from 1959 to 1967

Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 32nd governor of California from 1959 to 1967. His first elected office was as district attorney for San Francisco, and he was later elected Attorney General of California in 1950, before becoming the state's governor after the 1958 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockefeller Republican</span> Political ideology within the US Republican Party

The Rockefeller Republicans were members of the United States Republican Party (GOP) in the 1930s–1970s who held moderate-to-liberal views on domestic issues, similar to those of Nelson Rockefeller, Governor of New York (1959–1973) and Vice President of the U.S. (1974–1977). Rockefeller Republicans were most common in the Northeast and the industrial Midwestern states, while they were rare in the South and the West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1952 Republican National Convention</span> Political convention

The 1952 Republican National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois from July 7 to 11, 1952, and nominated Dwight D. Eisenhower of New York, nicknamed "Ike", for president and Richard M. Nixon of California for vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 California gubernatorial election</span>

The 1962 California gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1962. The Democratic incumbent, Pat Brown, ran for re-election against former U.S. vice president and 1960 Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon. In his concession speech the following morning, Nixon accused the media of favoring his opponent Brown, stating that it was his "last press conference" and "You won't have Nixon to kick around any more." Six years later, Nixon was elected President of the United States, and exactly ten years after this press conference he was re-elected in a landslide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1970 South Carolina gubernatorial election</span>

The 1970 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. John C. West, the Democratic nominee, won a close general election against Albert Watson, the Republican congressman from the 2nd congressional district.

Millhouse: A White Comedy is a 1971 documentary by Emile de Antonio following Richard Nixon's political career from his election to the House of Representatives in 1946 to his election as President of the United States in 1968. It begins with Nixon's "last press conference" in 1962 after his loss in the race for Governor of California in which he famously said, "You won't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore." Then a collage of videos show Nixon's trajectory from his House campaign to his involvement in the Alger Hiss case, election to the Senate in 1950, election as Vice President in 1952 including the full Checkers speech, campaign for the presidency in 1960, campaign for Barry Goldwater's presidential candidacy in 1964, and his triumphant election as President in 1968 as the "New Nixon". The film featured interviews but no voice-over.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Chotiner</span> American lawyer

Murray M Chotiner was an American political strategist, attorney, government official, and close associate and friend of President Richard Nixon during much of the 37th President's political career. He served as campaign manager for the future president's successful runs for the United States Senate in 1950 and for the vice presidency in 1952, and managed the campaigns of other California Republicans. He was active in each of Nixon's two successful runs for the White House in low-profile positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Republican Party presidential primaries</span>

From January 19 to June 8, 1976, voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for president in the 1976 United States presidential election. The major candidates were incumbent President Gerald Ford and former governor of California Ronald Reagan. After a series of primary elections and caucuses, neither secured a majority of the delegates before the convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1950 United States Senate election in California was held on November 7 of that year, following a campaign characterized by accusations and name-calling. Republican Representative and future President Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Representative Helen Gahagan Douglas, after Democratic incumbent Sheridan Downey withdrew during the primary election campaign. Douglas and Nixon each gave up their congressional seats to run against Downey; no other representatives were willing to risk the contest.

<i>Six Crises</i> 1962 book by Richard Nixon

Six Crises is the first book written by Richard Nixon, who later became the 37th president of the United States. It was published in 1962, and it recounts his role in six major political situations. Nixon wrote the book in response to John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize–winning Profiles in Courage, which had greatly improved Kennedy's public image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States presidential election in New Hampshire</span>

The 1968 United States presidential election in New Hampshire took place on November 5, 1968, as part of the 1968 United States presidential election, which was held throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose four representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States Senate elections in Georgia</span>

The 1972 United States Senate election in Georgia took place on November 7, 1972, as one of that year's United States Senate elections. It was held concurrently with the 1972 presidential election. This seat had opened up following the death of Richard B. Russell in 1971. Shortly thereafter, Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter appointed David H. Gambrell to fill Russell's vacant seat. The Democratic Party nominee was Sam Nunn, a conservative Democrat and member of the Georgia House of Representatives, and the Republican Party nominated Fletcher Thompson, the Representative from the Atlanta-area 5th congressional district of Georgia. In the primary, Nunn emerged victorious from a crowded field of Democratic candidates, including Gambrell and former Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver. Despite President Richard Nixon defeating George McGovern in Georgia in the presidential election on the same day, Nunn defeated Thompson in both the special election 52% to 47% and general election 54% to 46%, both of which appeared on the same ballot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George H. W. Bush 1992 presidential campaign</span> American political campaign

The 1992 presidential campaign of George H. W. Bush was an unsuccessful re-election campaign for 1992 United States presidential election by incumbent president George H. W. Bush, who had taken office on January 20, 1989. Bush and incumbent vice president Dan Quayle were defeated by Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton and vice presidential nominee Al Gore. Bush, a Republican president and former vice president under Ronald Reagan, launched his presidential bid on October 11, 1991, and secured nomination for his re-election on August 20, 1992. He was challenged in the Republican primaries by former White House Communications Director Pat Buchanan, who received less than one percent of the delegates in the Republican National Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Dole 1996 presidential campaign</span> Political campaign for United States presidency

The 1996 presidential campaign of Bob Dole began when Republican Senator and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole formally announced his candidacy for Republican Party nomination in 1995. After beating other candidates in the primaries, he became the Republican nominee, with his opponent being Democratic incumbent President Bill Clinton in the 1996 presidential election. Dole conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Clinton on November 5, 1996.

In the 1976 United States presidential election, Jimmy Carter and his running mate, Walter Mondale, were elected president and vice president, defeating incumbent Republican president Gerald Ford and his running mate, Bob Dole.

References

  1. 1 2 Farrell, John A. (2018). Richard Nixon: The Life. New York: Vintage Books. p. 310. ISBN   978-0-345-80496-9.
  2. ↑ Liberman, Mark (July 15, 2009). "Last (and first) things". Language Log. University of Pennsylvania; Institute for Research in Cognitive Science. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ Morris, Roger (February 4, 2009). "The President Behind the Mask". 100 Days. The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ Putnam, Jackson K. (2005). Jess: The Political Career of Jesse Marvin Unruh. University Press of America. p. 167. ISBN   978-0-7618-3068-9.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Hill, Gladwin (November 8, 1962). "Nixon Denounces Press as Biased; In 'Last' News Conference, He Attributes His Defeat to Crisis Over Cuba" . The New York Times. p. 1. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Transcript of Nixon's News Conference on His Defeat by Brown in Race for Governor of California" . The New York Times. November 8, 1962. p. 18. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Herbers, John (April 24, 1994). "The 37th President; In Three Decades, Nixon Tasted Crisis and Defeat, Victory, Ruin and Revival" . The New York Times. Section 1, p. 29. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Ambrose, Stephen E. (1987). Nixon, Volume I: The Education of a Politician, 1913-1962. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 673. ISBN   978-0-671-65722-2.
  9. ↑ "Opinion | Nixon, Dixon and Hart" . The New York Times. July 16, 1987. p. A26. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Purdum, Todd S. (September 28, 1999). "Quayle Bids Farewell to the Presidential Race, and, Effectively, an Era of His Career" . The New York Times. p. A22. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 13, 2023.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.