Do You See Donald Trump When He Talks About Nixon

Jack Beatty is a veteran political commentator-journalist, author, senior editor at the Atlantic and one of the hosts on NPR On Point. I recorded this Beta SP video interview with him in 1989. I found him entertaining and provocative to listen to-blunt-clearheaded-energetic whether or not I agreed with him. I was amazed when I found this clip, just how relevant what he was talking about is today - President Nixon in his final days -and our recent situation with our former president. I am not saying that I feel that his judgments are correct. I am saying that he sounds like someone speaking about how many see former Donald Trump. #trump2020 #maga #nixon #americanhistory #politics

[@ColossalFISH]

Guys i'm getting this vibe that he doesn't like Richard Nixon. Could be wrong though.

[@patrickmoynihan8510]

New England Baby boomer Democrat!

[@MrIrishscouse]

This guy is clued into both sides' conceits. He's brilliant.

[@profylr]

Glad someone said it. I thought it was just me.

[@ewalker1057]

He speaks the truth about Nixon.

[@knwr]

Based on what he says, this Nixon guy sounds like a real jerk.

[@NONE2NONE]

He's so well-spoken. I don't see this in interviews anymore.

[@Dyrnwyn]

There are no interviews anymore. There are just platforms for yelling.

[@lucasjordan7444]

Well it's an interview and more of a monologue. For one thing we have no idea what questions were posed.

[@supereliptic]

Hey Mr Hoffman! Who is the guy in this video? He’s fantastic. Also, do you know what question you had asked him before he gave that monologue?

[@jwolf4204]

You are an invaluable curator of societal cross-sections. Thanks. People will be watching these interviews for a long time.

[@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker]

I hope that they will. David Hoffman - filmmaker

[@clintgolub1751]

I bet you if KZbin is preserved throughout this next century, these videos will be mined by countless grad students for the best kind of history; that of those that actually lived through the time periods.

[@MultiSmartass1]

"Imcarnation of the American jerk" wonderful phrase about Nixon. Also perfect description of Trump.

[@silverado7253]

And Biden, please inform yourself about the current president. He's just as big of a jerk as the rest of them.

[@midorimashintaro2092]

​@@silverado7253no😂

[@khanyisokamabanga9943]

I thoroughly enjoy listening to this man. His exceptional command of English and the depth of his insightful cultural analysis are quite refreshing. 👌🏿

[@JonnyCrash]

He makes a lot of great points and observations; however, his deductive "he was a jerk and so were his voters" is "basket of deplorables" pre-incarnate. It speaks to the ivory tower mindset that completely dismisses the idea that someone who voted for Nixon or Trump-perhaps excepting those who were/are die-hard supporters-probably had and still have real concerns about the direction of society and a plethora of their own problems that they feel aren't being addressed. Even worse, they're concerns are not simply dismissed, they themselves are derided for their failure to get with the times, or for their supposed privileges. Much the same as with the current elites, it's obvious that he likely never bothered talking to a real-life supporter of Nixon. It reminds me of the CNN man-on-the-street interviews in the Midwest when the reporter is visibly baffled when Trump voters fail to live up to the caricature they have painted.

[@jc.1191]

I think that's the mostly correct view of Nixon. But I think you are more correct on Trump. It was a huge mistake to call them deplorable. They weren't going to get their needs met by Hillary, and got suckered by a strongman autocrat.

[@hindflight]

You deserve alot of up votes for this one!

[@nervesinapattern7261]

He’s passionate yet level headed and balanced. Not hysterical and reactionary, I wish the current late night tv hosts would take a leaf from his book when talking politics.

[@JH-ji6cj]

Please help the rest of us by sending a link to the video you saw! Thanks!

[@shanelang3236]

@@JH-ji6cj lmao Indeed. I wonder what video he was watching

[@nervesinapattern7261]

J H you haven’t noticed that news has been dumbed down ?

[@JH-ji6cj]

@@nervesinapattern7261 , I've certainly noticed that the "legit" news outlets have had to compete with multitudes of news sources to include international ones and, for sure, it has diminished the resources, talent, and has also meant expediting stories to the degree that oversight and proofreading has suffered. The films David shows actually imprint upon me more the similarities between generations over differences, especially when the technological advancements are taken into account. To say this reporter was erudite and not partisan with his views is a complete joke, and his demeanor is what I would expect of news outlets today. I just wish someone would give him a quarter to pay a back alley doctor to get a rat to chew that thing off his face. At least the part that looks like it has toothpaste in it. The Ron Burgundy impression was way before his time, I'll give him that!!

[@JH-ji6cj]

@@nervesinapattern7261 , and consider changing your name to *Boogie w/Mark Stu* , cuz, Zeppelin

[@jc.1191]

Watching this and other historical pieces, it seems to me we've been flirting with fascism since WW2.

[@automatics1im]

This guy has a way with words.

[@fayewike7363]

auto- Does he? He said, "....he sweats inappropriately,..." What does that mean? I watched a documentary that exposed the fact that during one of the Kennedy/Nixon debates, they had put the hottest light on Nixon and in contrast had a fan installed in Kennedy's lectern intentionally to make Nixon "sweat inappropriately." Same tricks, different candidates. Same BS talking points.

[@getdoeful]

He just said the same thing in different ways;'\

[@knwr]

@@getdoeful that's how you make sure you're understood.

[@getdoeful]

@@knwr Not if you are being straight forward and honest and not dance around the issues. I understood what he was saying and doing.

[@knwr]

@@getdoeful yea I guess there's not much depth. He has a creative way of bashing nixon, while not informative I did find it entertaining. I'm also not a fan of Nixon though, so I'm biased to enjoy this man.

[@aienatu]

this guy beatty is some character. you can't help be enthralled by the substance of what he says and the sharpness of his wit.

[@joshjames582]

Yes, this is true, but I also have a firm desire to teach him to trim a mustache.

[@ee_tt]

Dad gum it David, you've done it again!! This guy is so honest and refreshing! I wish you could find him now and ask him about the Jan 6 2021 capitol attack and the 2020 pandemic response! I would love to hear what he has to say. And for your demographic info, I am a 61 year old African-American male.

[@dustash1578]

Hes all oblique angles! serpentine! Lmfao!!! Absolute gold

[@RubesGoodBrainCoffee]

Anyone ever see Stanley Kubrick's 'Barry Lyndon'? I thought Kubrick demonstrated well how brutal one could be while simultaneously being well-mannered. Those who concealed their brutality in well-mannered clothing merely fooled others -- as well as themselves -- into thinking they were more civilized. (Barry, whose wealth was new to him, was outwardly brutal. From the perspective of the well-established elites, that was his greatest sin.) I am not speaking out against civility. I am, however, pointing out that manners should reflect a more profound civility -- not merely a superficial one. Contempt held by elitists for those they find unworthy of their respect has never really impressed me much.

[@JH-ji6cj]

Your post made it worth watching the jerk I just saw calling out Nixon for being a jerk. Barry Lindon is a favorite of mine and your post made me even more happy to be able to ...remember as much as I could...of seeing it. Great film and great analysis.

[@ResistanceQuest]

As long as our society views some people as less valuable, and value is determined by wealth, there will always be a place for snobbery and contempt disguised as "class"

[@fayewike7363]

Rube- Your comment is fitting of the Ross Perot/Al Gore debate. "A Giant Sucking Sound", echos today and Gore's elitist arrogant condescending attitude was a turn off then, as it is today.

[@jc.1191]

@@fayewike7363 Perot was a bit of an autocrat. Give those debates another look. We sure do tend to get the worst of people on both sides.

[@AverageJoeSchmidt]

Well said. Astonishing how much he could have been talking about Trump.

[@SCscoutguy]

Man Jack Beatty was only 39 years old in this video yet he looks like a man in in his early 60's.

[@OALM]

SCscoutguy Wow! He looks 50 are you sure!

[@SCscoutguy]

@@OALM It looks like he was 44 when this was done. On google if you search him it says he was born in 1950 but if you open up his wiki it says 1945. Regardless he looks much older than he is in this video.

[@Lobishomem]

What’s fascinating or rather depressing about our times is how many comments are made about people’s appearance and nothing about their content or ideas. It wasn’t always this way.

[@Lobishomem]

MrHoppers002 Thanks for proving my point.

[@jimbodice2672]

@@Lobishomem Most comments here are in reference to what he is saying and how he articulates it so well. So what are you going on about? It's not hard to talk about multiple topics at once. It's not really that deep, or rather you're not that deep. Getting depressed over an inconsequential youtube comment is peak 1st world problems. Mr. Beatty looks older than he is, a lot of people in those days did, it's actually an interesting topic. Get over yourself.

[@billybadass8690]

Take a drink every time he says jerk

[@JH-ji6cj]

He does have a way with words, but that way is to say jerk, over and over again. Very articulate this one.

[@sarahlara4590]

I'm actually having some wine While watching this.

[@lindajohnson4204]

That is a knee-jerk reaction. "What are you, some knee-jerk ___(your label or dread here)___?"

[@samwallaceart288]

I remember a comment from my father about his father’s view of the man. Something along the lines of “well, he’s a lying bastard, but maybe he’ll give those other nations a run for their money - Use his skills where they’ll be useful.” Apparently, that’s not entirely how it panned out.

[@pawelpap9]

Is he unhinged or is it just me? Unwatchable.

[@ZombieBobSponge]

This guy is a great narrator. He could talk about his tax declaration and I'd still listen

[@frankfelix5851]

Lol pure projection by this guy..

[@ckwind1971]

Very insightful, draws parallels between the two POTUSes I had never realized. Thank you 😊

[@DannyChan131]

“This guy’s a real jerk!”

[@DannyChan131]

ArchEnema 67 - Noooormie, Normie, Normie

[@ryanleclaire3948]

Nice Norm reference

[@672egalaxie6]

There's no need to be coarse....

[@shanekimberlin]

You know, the more I read about Richard millhouse Nixon, the less I seem to care for him

[@Dyrnwyn]

Hello, handsome

[@samizdatbroadcasts7654]

History doesn't repeat, but it sure does rhyme.

[@glenadlin]

A rather haughty way of looking at the world

[@OakhillSailor]

WOW. just wow. I am stunned how this guy is describing today.

[@mrmarkus30able]

I can definitely see the resemblance between Trump and Nixon. Both of them weren't the most beloved presidents and they both didn't going along with the mainstream narrative in there respective time periods

[@williamlukesinclair1315]

This guy is in love with the sound of his own voice

[@RobertJBarnes]

No. By all accounts, Trump one on one is extremely charming and even Chomsky says Trump "masterfully" plays to his base while giving the elite what they want. And Trump is obviously not a "square." Hillary mastered stepping on the rake.

[@shanesawyer5103]

R J Yeah, but doing everything for show, having everything be about projecting an image, having no core values or principles, winning by just being determined & having more stamina- trump is just like Nixon in those ways. And the thing about jerks loving Nixon; I have never seen a politician that jerks love half as much as trump. Trump is a lot like a much more polished, stylish Nixon. He has no core ideology, he’ll lie about anything & he’ll do anything to win. He also has an extreme victimization complex. The other POTUS that trump reminds me of is Bill Clinton. Politically, they are obviously very different- but the desperate need for constant attention/affirmation & the ability to survive any scandal & lack of shame are ways in which trump & Clinton are strikingly similar.

[@RobertJBarnes]

shane sawyer I don't accept your premise. You don't have the ability to mind read so I don't know why you accept your premise either. For example, he obviously has a strong work ethic. It is well known he is a firm believer in positive thinking. No doubt he is vain and that vanity motivates him to do well. But there is more, he didn't care how it would look when he cancelled that Iran strike. He took criticism from both sides. He wants the answer to Iran to be an economic one. Don't play ball and you will suffer but, play ball and you will flourish. The founding fathers would be proud of that. He is doing the same with North Korea. And if you watch an interview from over 20 years ago, he holds the exact same position on the American worker and their jobs being shipped over seas. Hillary has to get polling information before she makes a stand - that is the definition of lacking core values. The side that lost protested endlessly and claimed that words were violence so they could champion real jerks who would attack Trump supporters. Trump supporters wanted a job, not a handout. Eight million of them were former supporters of Obama. Many of which were union workers and long time Democrats. You have a convenient definition of jerk.

[@shanesawyer5103]

R J 1. You don’t have the ability to mind read either. And yet you asserted that the founding fathers would approve of trump’s Iran strategy. That is an absurd claim to make, as you obviously can’t know how a group of men from 250 years ago would feel about current events. It’s amazing that you revised your comment & left that part in. 2. Just because trump called off the Iran strike does not mean he didn’t care how it looked. He cares how everything looks. He’s pretty open about that. His entire career has been built on projecting an image. I think he made the right call, too. Although he acts like a hawk, he’s actually very dovish & averse to conflict. I think that’s generally good. The worst possible thing would be for him to drag us into another unnecessary military quagmire, like the previous Republican President did. However, Iran will be a big headache for him for the remainder of his presidency & it’s his own fault. Regardless of what you thought of the Iran deal- our nation made an agreement with their nation, they were abiding by it, & trump came in & tore it up. Now they are back to being provocative & they will probably resume their nuclear program shortly. They are not going to “play ball.” I think it’s funny that although trump is constantly trying his alternate strategies of threats & flattery, he has had absolutely no success at making a deal with any of these autocrats. He’s gotten nothing with North Korea, nothing with Russia, & the Iran situation will probably get worse. There are some things he’s quite good at- negotiating is not one of them. 3. Sorry, but it is objectively true that many trump supporters are jerks. Not all of them, but some of them. It’s a nice little fantasy you have that they’re all beleaguered, patriotic Americans who just wanted a job- but many of them are assholes. I live in Kentucky. I have personally talked to several trump supporters who said Obama was a commie ni***r, Mexicans who are here illegally should be killed, women should go to prison if they get an abortion, etc. Trump, like Nixon, appealed to a lot of the worst people in America, & that was by design. Finally, before you call me a libtard- no, I’m not a liberal or a democrat. I’m a mostly libertarian Independent. I didn’t vote for Trump or HRC. I thought they were both awful. But it’s where America is now. Both sides want a big government, all-powerful President to protect them from the scary world & solve all their problems. Whether the left gets the liberal socialist they want, or the right gets a protectionist nationalist like Trump, I don’t see anything getting significantly better anytime soon. There is no political solution.

[@RobertJBarnes]

@@shanesawyer5103 1. That's deduction not mind reading. 2. "our nation made an agreement with their nation, they were abiding by it:" - Not according to satellite imagery. 3. Meaningless: "Sorry, but it is objectively true that many trump supporters are jerks. Not all of them, but some of them." - Some of every demographic will be jerks. Look at the whiners protesting. They get asked a basic question and they can't answer it. But, they protest anyway. I don't use words like "libtard." I make arguments. Trump is not a protectionist - he wants fair trade. The tariffs have been weaponized to that end.

[@sonofode902]

Funny thing, initially in 2015 I don't like Trump, infact I kind of hate his guts. My friend on the other hand loves Trump from watching his show "The Apprentice". During the campaign Trump piqued my interest with many his remark, the wall, illegal migration, the muslim ban, ever since that I follow his campaign, and I have found Trump is very interesting. It is hard to describe, yet here is an illustration I can come up with; Trump is like a surfer. He surf this mystical wave, the best way to describe this wave is Star Wars terminology "The Force". Trump was able to win and do what migh one who think is a good thing such as de-escalating North Korea Nuclear heat, turning up the Economy, beat the main stream media, etc, is because Trump knows how to stay on the Mystical wave (The Force), if Trump ever go againts it, or loose grip his board from the Mystical wave he will loose. Just want to share what I think, I'm just a far observer, very far. Gin,

[@TheGeoScholar]

I do agree with Jack Beatty, to an extent. Nixon did appeal to a certain kind of jerk mentality. However, Nixon was actually somewhat slick. He was kind of a jerk, but he could be slick. "Tricky Dick" is what they called Richard Nixon. George Wallace, who ran as part of the American Independent Party (a far right wing segregationist party) was very blunt, even more outspoken. He was bluntly bigoted and mean. At a rally in NYC, it almost became deadly. Some Black protesters had to be rescued because there were Wallace supporters chanting "kill 'em". Wallace was better at appealing to the jerk dynamic than Nixon.

[@SnappedGinger]

Wallace was the segregationist Democrat Governor of Alabama that ran for president three times, as a Democrat, and In the 1968 presidential election, Wallace ran a third-party campaign in an attempt to force a contingent election in the United States House of Representatives, thereby enhancing the political clout of segregationist Southern leaders. Why is it when evil exist in politics, the left declares it “right wing extremism”. Wallace was many things, but right wing he was not.

[@TheGeoScholar]

@@SnappedGinger He ran under a far right wing party in 1968. He was a right winger.

[@SnappedGinger]

@@TheGeoScholar In this age of information, ignorance is a choice.

[@jomama5186]

Super interesting and fascinating! Thank you so much Mr. Hoffman :)🙏❤

[@mauherkan]

Unreasonable. "He spoke to all the jerks in the country"? What? America consisted of 50%-plus jerks?? And why is he connecting being awkward to being a jerk? Calling someone a "square" or "awkward" can be bullying too. Same with calling someone a jerk.

[@DrumWild]

He should have been more careful with your feelings. How about them snowflakes?

[@mauherkan]

@@DrumWild Wait, are you on his side and left wing? Don't left wingers say that they are for love and compassion and making people feel comfortable? My feelings are fine, this is about basic civility, not being rude, like not like Trump being rude.

[@americanhighlander3448]

He is just another condescending left wing hypocrite.

[@lindajohnson4204]

We awkward, sweaty snowflakes are human beings. And that means something, even if no one seems to believe it does, anymore. (It, er, _matters.)_ If his wise, political analysis consists of making all the _pretty_ people, "good", and the _ugly_ people, "bad", I'd rather get it from a 3-year-old than him. That's playing to a low common denominator, too, even if it fueled many a cocktail party. Saying "be one of the cool cats--vote Democratic" didn't really turn out so well: the Republicans learned it, and engineered the Reagans to become the new hip, cool cats: hip to the coolness of Ayn Rand, etc. And now Rand is becoming hip again, along with acid.

[@robotempire]

What a storyteller! Incredibly captivating. I’m a sucker for these mega-WASP-y professorial know-it-all types, they’re great in small doses. Like I watch an episode of Frasier once every 3 years and that’s enough.

[@lindajohnson4204]

Never watching Frazier is enough.

[@ckwind1971]

Same, I occasionally find myself listening to long-winded overeducated jerks and have to refresh

[@fishheadlemonsnack824]

I could listen to this fella forever. He's spot on, from those things I lived through and understood.

[@sailorbychoice1]

biased much?

[@jws5984]

God damn I'd hate to be cornered by this guy at a party. Ironically he comes across as a real jerk.

[@MeoithTheSecond]

Atleast hes not a super rich jerk and president of the United Corporations Of America, God muricans are a gullible bunch.

[@GARY84ROCKS]

@@MeoithTheSecond Follow a dream, pal, don't piss on the dreams others cause they're "jerks' to ya... doing this, it makes you shit at best, and an evil spiteful monster at worst.

[@kennethlucas7473]

He is YOU!

[@sorcererCermet]

fascists trying to be civilized like

[@DKarkarov]

He does come across as a jerk, but there are multiple kinds of jerk. He is the kind who knows what he is actually talking about, and has gotten old and experienced enough that he no longer cares if people don't like what he is saying. So while the message may be harsh to some, and it is harsher than it needs to be, it is accurate.

[@colinrickatson6320]

why don't journalists spit fire like this anymore in 2023!! We need to go back in time and grab folks like this and bring them to now and have them give the rest of the media and society a lesson in how proper journalism should be done.

[@Bix12]

he is insightful and able to state his opinions clearly. I enjoy listening to him.

[@justinwilson5006]

These interviews are time capsules.

[@alwolf2325]

Why put a stain on a fine series with that partisan hackery in the title?

[@hal900x]

I don't see Trump, because as Jack himself points out, Nixon was a man of his time, whereas Trump is of ours. But I really miss this kind of intellectual, the intellectual of the 70's I think. It's very bittersweet to watch this, since this kind of thinking and dialog is already extinct. Watching this man speak I'm convinced we are getting dumber by the decade.

[@dbdeluxe]

Do you wish to Be governed with a velvet glove no matter the policy?

[@fiacmar]

I would have so many questions for this guy, and would thoroughly enjoy the poetry of his answers.

[@k.compton8995]

Was everyone this well spoken back then? I feel our spoken language is slowly eroding.

[@dbdeluxe]

`don't worry.. we have 'grammarly' to correct us.

[@lindajohnson4204]

It got jerkier.

[@JCRS92]

1984. Read it.

[@sierralorraine7003]

It just depends how you talk casually. There wasn’t much slang back then. As long as we can understand professional speech I don’t see the problem. It’s just the way some people talk. If you can’t understand today’s slang maybe learn it because it’s the language we speak today. It’s not like we can get rid of it.

[@lindajohnson4204]

@@sierralorraine7003 There was a lot of slang, really, just different slang. But there weren't nearly as many acronyms!

[@bobbyfontenot6782]

This guy's description of Nixon screams that of the epitome of elitism. I'm talking about the interviewee, not Nixon.

[@DrumWild]

It doesn't, but I see how it could hurt your feeling. How about them snowflakes?

[@bobbyfontenot6782]

DrumWild who really is the butt hurt one? You make some cool music dude, too bad you come off sounding like a little pussy victim. Oh and guess what, he's still your president. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@methembethomastshuma9587]

I don't take any adult who uses the word "jerk" to make a point seriously.

[@alday7276]

He’d fit right in with all the talking heads on CNN in 2019

[@keepitwitmine]

“The all-American jerk=always clumsy, sweats inappropriately, knocks over the saucer when he picks up the coffee” *hangs head in shame

[@expression3639]

Well, first step to fixing jerkiness is acknowledging it :P

[@lindajohnson4204]

I just cannot believe that he's openly saying that such human foibles are the difference between "us" and "them". Oh, sure, I do; I believe it; we've lived through 50+ years of the disappointing reality. But he just assumed that like-minded people would laugh along, just like racists making racist jokes, when they think they're in safe company. He's actually making a case for the differences in substantive issues boiling down to being part of their superior (no doubt genetic) set. It's like the recent suggestion (from ?) that people stop trying to vote the issues, and just vote for their chosen affinity groups. Making things a lot more efficient, no doubt. Makes for a lot of smart, worthless, cocktail party chatter.

[@abigailv5347]

“We were all him at sometime”

[@orangutangetiquette8962]

Nixon was ten times the president Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson was.

[@clintgolub1751]

Wow that tirade and his way with words had me laughing so hard. I would say that sounds identical to the way many of us view Trump today. But I absolutely agreed with Jack’s analysis that Nixon (and Trump as well!) are cultural reactions to times of extreme change, and change that comes too quickly upsets the natural order of things and people will want that ‘strong man’ to take care of things with force and gusto to restore what they viewed as life “before”. It truly reminds me of Warren Harding’s campaign promise of a “Return to Normalcy” which was the “Make America Great Again” of it’s day. A clarion call to those who missed the days prior to The Great War (WWI), 50 million global deaths due to the Spanish Flu, the Red Scare where anarchists (we call them terrorists today) and communist sympathizers whether real or imagined were literally blowing up both government buildings and the private residences of guys like Mitchel Palmer and freaking out everyone. A time when morals were higher before alcohol needed to be banned to clean up the streets of substance abuse via the 18th amendment. A time before 12 million starving near homeless Europeans immigrants lived in slums in all American cities performing whatever menial jobs they could for meager wages. I mean really we’ve been here before a century ago when Harding won on that 1920 election campaign promise to ‘restore the order’ to a time before such massive international change. But the truth is you can never go back. Just as Jack says, it’s the time of the ‘jerk’ and people love that jerk to use might and force to enforce their view of the world and pry back the years to the more innocent time with sheer force of will. It’s amazing how cyclical history is.

[@gabriellabernabei5452]

...yep, dead on!! 👍🎯😊 )0(

[@tonyc018]

You're another blow hard, who thinks he has all the answers. Get a hobby, you pseudo intellectual, nimrod.

[@boedye]

On the flip side, Clinton was a charismatic, sax playing yes man who drove the last nail into the coffin of the American Economy. Yea, on paper it did great, but he finished the job Nixon started.

[@tincan77]

This guy makes me like Nixon more :)

[@aarontorres3888]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! KEEP POSTED ALL OF THEM!

[@peternyc]

This is an amazing video. David Hoffman is so right to ask if we see Trump. It's eerie. We never left the age of the jerk. We thought Obama would bring us out of it, but he turned out to be an agent of the jerk agenda, just like all American presidents after the 60's.

[@gabriellabernabei5452]

...yep, dead on!! 👍🎯😊 )0(

[@iVenge]

Not at all. Nixon was damn near a social democrat in comparison to Trump.

[@michaelsmith473]

Extreme claims, demand extreme evidence.

[@kitaek70]

Agree...he was far more liberal domestically than Trump

[@treojoe1077]

@@michaelsmith473 The Nixon administration created the DEA, EPA and OSHA. Socially liberal enough for ya?

[@HelamanGile]

Very interesting

[@jaroddunbeck5893]

There is at least one gold nugget in this interview. It's at the end, regarding the appearance of old values.

[@d.m.3645]

What's funny is the hippies parents were absolutely right. Once the reality of having a family and a job and a mortgage hit them they stopped being so "free."

[@accordionSWE]

What I get out of it was that the parents proved the hippies to be right. The parents did not understand the different meanings implicit in their argument.

[@UnlimitedProduction1]

Man this guy really hates Nixon lol

[@jeffgoesrandom4217]

I like the facile way this guy expresses himself. It's soothing. His reference to the jerk... ironically, no matter what he was saying, I think, the honest way he expressed himself makes him sound... like a jerk... he's just the same as the jerks he talks about. Because the jerk is like him. You are who you are. A jerk.

[@mrRambleGamble]

This guy sounds as blind as media today. In the last video he criticized liberal condescension, but here he does nothing but elitist condescension

[@BigDogTwenny9niny2]

5:10 did he just reference the galactic brain meme? History IS on a cycle.

[@vince8520]

If only he knew what the future had in store I bet he would be kinder to Nixon.

[@SeekerGoOn2013]

He’s on NPR’s On Point these days.

[@lbwhills2527]

Make America Great Again.

[@drmodestoesq]

At what historical pivot point did America stop being great?

[@bobbyfontenot6782]

drmodestoesq When Presidential executive orders and legislation from the bench became the norm instead of the exception.

[@drmodestoesq]

@@xxcelr8rs Not to pin you down...but what general era was that? What presidential administration?

[@drmodestoesq]

@@xxcelr8rs Gotcha. Make America Great Again = Make America White (or Whiter) Again. One of the problems with that is that Europeans no longer want to leave Europe in droves. They have collapsing birth rates and Europe (Putin aside) is no longer the cockpit of war that it has been for the last thousand or so years. That being the case I think that to maintain it's demographic mix America may have to adopt the Japanese model. I.e. Accept the economic repercussions that come with a decreasing population. However, I don't think the powers that be will accept an America without growth. Bad for the bottom line and all.....

[@drmodestoesq]

@@xxcelr8rs 100 percent agree Brian. Trump tapped into a concern about Whites being a minority in America. But do you think it's possible with the current global demographic distribution to acquire more White immigrants? It doesn't seem likely going forward. How many European countries have positive population growth? America may have to settle for a declining population if it insists on White immigrants. When Trump's billionaire friends say they need growth...I can't see him putting demographics ahead of profits. Trump, himself, employs many illegal immigrants at his businesses. Rich White people can always live in gated communities surrounded by White people.

[@id3774]

Nixon was the last President who understood Foreign Policy.

[@currypablo]

So true

[@drmodestoesq]

Is that why he bombed the hell out of Vietnam and Cambodia before calling the war a write off?

[@ConwayBob]

The GOP seems to excel in Jerkitude. Just look at the bozos in Congress right now (October 2023).

[@accordionSWE]

Great! Really some ideas to think about.

[@marzymarrz5172]

Man are you perceptive. This explains trumps appeal to people who have everything to loose with a trump at the helm. It hits the nail right on the head.

[@treojoe1077]

I wonder what he would have to say about HRC. She seems to be the 21st century embodiment of Nixon.

[@Norsilca]

You think this is about Hillary?

[@treojoe1077]

@@Norsilca Do you? I suggest you read my statement again, think about it for a moment. Then reply.

[@sandysutherland2182]

To answer your question, yes!

[@andrethegiant2877]

Jesus, this is gonna keep on happening isn't it?

[@swiftWord]

Yes I see Nixon qualities of jerkiness in Trump; but also I saw the devious qualities of Nixon in Obama.

[@jameswarner7435]

omg, this is just too good!

[@thomasreiter2367]

No,no,no...I do not see Trump. Trump did not start a single war. Let us be fair. The man did a few good things.

[@AgentZ7]

Where I do tend to agree with this guy, Nixon didn't have it right to begin with and was a straight un-likeable figure. I don't see much parallel to Trump. The current president is nowhere near as bad as Nixon. Trump is actually a pretty tolerant dude, he just can't handle people who try to manipulate him or lie to his face. I think we can all kind of resonate with that.

[@margaretswartz3348]

Does anyone remember him going on the TV show Laugh-In?

[@kennethprice8710]

Not a popular opinion but,I admire Nixon to degree,he overcame alot in his life and attained alot as well. As president he accomplished alot never forget that,was he a jerk ? Probably,but even Jerks can get results that end up being beneficial.

[@gastonave]

Nixon wasn't any more unscrupulous than a typical career politician, he just went about it in a sloppy manner and got caught.

[@jbs9373]

He turned biased real quick.

[@mike971000]

I see joe biden when he talks

[@Truth-is-not-subjective]

The resemblance Is astounding! They are both control freaks! I’m not sure Nixon Was as much of a habitual liar but probably! I do know that my Father spending three years in Southeast Asia definitely affected me.

[@justinjoseph6966]

Biggest difference between Nixon and Trump is that Pat at least showed the pretense of public affection for a Richard, where as Melania was visibility disgusted by Donald. Donald would grab for her hand and she would push or slap it away and openly sneer at him. You could tell that she was genuinely repulsed by him and couldn’t even stand the sight of him.

[@OakhillSailor]

OMG I am in awe of this video. But subtly gives me hope.

[@skullketon]

I don't see Trump as that much of a square. "Sleeps with his tie on at night?" Trump has probably fallen asleep with a bucket of KFC on himself multiple times

[@skullketon]

And I'd add a lot of people would probably like that because they'd think it's "authentic"

[@drmodestoesq]

Schtupping porn stars compared to Pat in her wholesome cloth coat also qualifies Trump as not being on Nixon's level of squareness.

[@hurricanesteve65]

I don't miss Nixon but I sure miss President Donald Trump.

[@ccronn]

The big difference: Nixon kicked off with a speech at Bohemian Grove, DJT did not. Just sayin.... Look that up and get back to me.

[@bdfunke]

The rebellion of the kids was hated by the adults because they were expressing their self indulgences on the adults dime.

[@grizzlybeartechnicalservic8152]

Hahahaha! Well said. Ike didn’t like tricky Dick and that says a lot!

[@mightisright]

This Jack Beatty guy, he's a real jerk!

[@672egalaxie6]

Nah, he's not a bad guy. Why are we all here? No new INN uploads today?

[@sartainja]

This speaker is very unfair to Nixon. Too bad that he is not still alive to respond.

[@julioviloria3289]

No, everyone hated Nixon including the Republicans. Trump is more like Reagan.

[@jamisojo]

Except Reagan was a great guy. Maybe more importantly a super amazing communicator. Donald is neither of those, but the Democrats, at least many loud ones, are scarier than Trump.

[@TrinidadSuperman]

He reminds me of Bradley Cooper, I don’t know why but I can see Bradley Cooper in him lmao

[@martinrain312]

I agree with how Beatty called out Nixon on his secret plan to end the war, but I don’t like how he tied social awkwardness, being clumsy and sweaty with being a jerk. There are guys like that you are the opposite of jerks - faithful to their wives and kids, stand up guys for their friends - just like there are socially well mannered guys who are jerks - unfaithful to their wives, willing to step on friends to get ahead. It’s policy positions, the ability to make sound decisions under pressure which should matter, not looks.

[@JUNITO84]

This guy really hated Nixon! lol...

[@JesusFriedChrist]

There’s a difference between a jerk and a man who doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit. You might not be able to tell the difference right away, but all it requires is taking a little time to have a closer look. That’s the difference between Nixon and Trump. I saw through the media’s lies back in 2016, and all it took was me putting in the small amount of effort to take a little closer look. Simple as that.

[@morganptah3266]

Mr. Stache is 10 on the jerk-o-meter.

[@esausjudeannephew6317]

I don't see Donald Trump. But I see the same tendency to generalize in describing him. There was a hell of a lot more

[@dayender]

Well it seems that jerk saved a lot of us including me from going to nam and getting my head blown out in 72. He sent home a bus load of my buddies in one piece. Just saying he was under pressure to end it.

[@crash406]

I'm still wondering about 'sweats inappropriately'......what the hell does THAT mean ????

[@analienfromouterspace]

Thank for this valuable video.

[@coffejack4777]

Yeah I’m thinking based