I Knew President Nixon......

I was teenager when President Nixon was President and Trump is no President Richard M Nixon.

President Richard Nixon claimed that the Watergate was made up and his enemies were just out to get him and that he was not involved and he said "I am not a crook".

Trump has claimed all along that the Russia connection is made up and his enemies are just out to get him and he is not involved.  "Comey told me 3 times I was not a target of the investigation".  That is something every person familiar with FBI procedures says would be unlikely that Comey would use those words.

I am not ready to compare Trump to President Nixon. 

President Nixon was smart

And, a dedicated public servant.  President Nixon believed that government could be used to solve our nations problems - he created the EPA and The School Lunch Program, open the diplomatic door to China and attempted to dial back the tensions of the Cold War.

Trump is vulgar, incapable of thinking of anything our anyone but himself, emotionally immature and delusional. 

And, probably stupid.

President Nixon was brought down by his self doubts, his desire to loved by the people and his need to prove that he was as good as a Kennedy.  For Nixon winning was about how he could serve and be a great President. His fear of losing one more time lead to Watergate.  Don't get me wrong President Nixon was not a good man but he was multiple heads and shoulders better than Trump.  Nixon believed in America - Trump believes in Trump

Trump has no interest in the best interest of the country.  His campaign was about his ego and nothing else.  He said what he needed to say but he does not believe in this country he has no desire to help it to a better future he just wanted to be elected President.

That's it.

Trump's ego is so fragile that is does this

President Nixon's crimes were severely damaging to this country and they came after losing Korea,  the cultural change brought about by Civil Rights movement, the murders of John, Martin and Bobby and Vietnam. The American people were already doubting it's institutions and his abuse of the government powers convinced people that our government was not there for us and the results of President Nixon's actions were deeply damaging to the national unity and we have never recovered.

Trump on the other hand does not care about national unity, the meaning of our institutions.  He is not a democrat (note the small d), he admires dictators and as he is sitting alone in his bedroom (since the First Lady refuses to live with him) channel changing between Fox, CNN & MSNBC to see what they are saying about him he thinks about how great it would be if he did not have to deal with Congress and defer to the authority of the Judiciary.  He clearly has a man crush on Putin, is effusive in support of the soon to be dictator of Turkey and invited the murderous President of the Philippines to the White House. 

There is growing evidence that he, his children and in in-laws are using his position to line their pockets.  Maybe by the time he is no longer living at taxpayer expense he actually will be a millionaire. 

President Nixon was despicable Trump is a grifter.  President Nixon served this country Trump serves himself and his extended family. 

Clearly President Nixon had his demons but Congress and the courts stepped up to defend the nation from them.  Trump's demons seem to be much darker, the courts have stepped up to defend the nation, the GOP controlled Congress thus far does not seem ready to defend the nation from this man.  I hope they do but I have my doubts that men like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan have what it takes to do so.

I miss Everett Dirkson and Barry Goldwater