Richard Milhous Nixon is the 37th President of the United States.
Biography[]
Political Career[]
Assassination of John F. Kennedy[]
Richard Nixon was guarded by Eddie Blake in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated.[1]
President of the United States[]
Vietnam War[]
Elected president of the United States in 1968, Nixon asks Doctor Manhattan to intervene in Vietnam, thereby ensuring a U.S. victory in the war.[2] In June 1971 Nixon visited Vietnam on a helicopter for the celebrations. The Comedian implied that this would ensure Nixon's future political victories.[3]
Beyond Term Limits[]
With the success of the Vietnam War, the repeal of the 22nd Amendment[2][4], the murders of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein[5], who would otherwise have exposed the Watergate Scandal, and the Comedian's successful intervention in the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979, Nixon is reelected repeatedly. During his fifth reelection campaign in 1984, Nixon went with the slogan "Stick with Dick".[6] In October 1985 the Nova Express mentions Nixon receiving a "3rd Presidential Heart Op".[3]
Events of Watchmen[]
Soviets Invade Afghanistan[]
When Doctor Manhattan left for Mars, Nixon discussed in a war room with Henry Kissinger, G. Gordon Liddy and army Generals about the Soviet Union's reaction and the outcome of the Cold War.[7] The Russians invaded Afghanistan and when Pakistan calls for help, Nixon tells Congress that America would consider her options[8] When the fight spilled into Pakistan, Nixon stated that U.S. will respond with maximum force.[9]
DEFCON 2[]
In early November 1985, DEFCON 2 was reached. After taking Pat Nixon somewhere safe, Nixon took the nuclear heads controls and flew to the NORAD complex on Air Force One. There he joined Henry Kissinger and G. Gordon Liddy and entered a war room.[10]
Attack on New York City[]
On November 2, 1985, New York City was devastated by a squid-like monster believed to be an alien from another dimension; in reality it was a genetically engineered creature manufactured by Adrian Veidt. Because of the attack Nixon cancels DEFCON 2, and he and Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to ceasing all hostilities and calling for cooperation between the West and East Blocs to face the false-flag alien threat manufactured by Veidt.[11]
Trivia[]
- In Watchmen's fictionalized version of history, after Eddie Blake kills the reporters who would have uncovered Watergate, Richard Nixon sponsors the repeal of the 22nd amendment to the constitution in order to abolish term limits. In reality, he resigned in order to avoid being impeached as a result of the scandal.
- The repeal of the 22nd Amendment allowed Richard Nixon to run for at least four consecutive terms. Subsequently, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan never become President of the United States in the Watchmen universe.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Alan Moore chose Richard Nixon as the President of the United States in Watchmen's alternate 1985 setting because he was concerned that using then-current president Ronald Reagan would have turned off readers who supported the politician. “You’re not going to get much argument Nixon was scum,” Moore told Entertainment Weekly in 2005.
- In the film adaptation, Nixon is played by English actor Robert Wisden. In the extended cut of the film, Nixon's role is expanded from both the graphic novel and the original cut.[12]
Gallery[]
.jpg "Richard Nixon - Watchmen (film).jpg (322 KB)")
References[]
- ↑ Look On My Works, Ye Mighty
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Watchmaker
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Absent Friends
- ↑ Nova Express Interview
- ↑ The Darkness of Mere Being
- ↑ At Midnight, All the Agents...
- ↑ The Judge of All the Earth
- ↑ A Brother to Dragons
- ↑ The Abyss Gazes Also
- ↑ Two Riders Were Approaching...
- ↑ A Stronger Loving World
- ↑ Watchmen (film)
