Passing of an Era
George H.W. Bush - President Richard Nixon’s Last Hours in Office, 1974
During the night of June 17, 1972, five burglars broke into the office of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC. Investigation into the break-in exposed a trail of abuses that led to the highest levels of the Nixon administration and ultimately to the President himself. President Nixon resigned from office under threat of impeachment on August 9, 1974.
A historic day of transition, August 9 was marked by two milestone events at the White House: President Nixon became the first President in U.S. history to resign the office, and Vice President Ford, who had never campaigned for the office of Vice President or President was sworn in as President (Ford was chosen by Nixon to be Vice President when Spiro T. Agnew resigned the office in 1973). At 9:36 a.m., Nixon made his farewell remarks to the Cabinet and White House staff. At 12:05 p.m., Gerald Ford was sworn in as 38th President of the United States. George Herbert Walker Bush, then Chairman of the Republican National Committee, was present at both events. He composed this diary account, noting how the tears and grief of Nixon’s farewell, gave way to a cheerier, forward-looking “new spirit” at Ford’s swearing-in.
George H.W. Bush’s diary entry for August 9, 1974, page 1
Bush affectionately referred to his own wife, Barbara, as “Bar.” He names several other people who were at the White House on August 9: Dean Burch, political counselor to the President, and his wife, Pat Burch; [Patrick J.] Buchanan, assistant to President Nixon; Tricia and “Eddie” Cox, President Nixon’s daughter and son-in-law; and Rabbi [Baruch] Korff, Chairman, Citizens Committee for Fairness to the Presidency.
National Archives, George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, College Station, Texas
Excerpt:
“President Nixon looked just awful. He used glasses—the first time I ever saw them. Close to breaking down—understandably. Everyone in the room in tears. . . . I remember Lt. Col. Brennan who has been with him so long—Marine— standing proudly but with tears running down his face. . . . The Nixon speech was masterful. In spite of his inability to totally resist a dig at the press, that argument about hating—only if you hate do you join the haters.”
—From George H.W. Bush’s diary
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George H.W. Bush’s diary entry for August 9, 1974, page 2
Bush affectionately referred to his own wife, Barbara, as “Bar.” He names several other people who were at the White House on August 9: Dean Burch, political counselor to the President, and his wife, Pat Burch; [Patrick J.] Buchanan, assistant to President Nixon; Tricia and “Eddie” Cox, President Nixon’s daughter and son-in-law; and Rabbi [Baruch] Korff, Chairman, Citizens Committee for Fairness to the Presidency.
National Archives, George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, College Station, Texas
Excerpt:
“We walked through the bottom lobby to go out. . . .We went over and hung around waiting for the swearing in of Ford.
And then the whole mood changed. It was quiet, respectful, sorrowful in one sense, but upbeat. The music and the band seemed cheerier, the talking and babbling of voices after Ford’s fantastic speech, crowds of friends, indeed a new spirit, a new lift. . . .”
—From George H.W. Bush’s diary
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President Richard Nixon, flanked by his family, delivering his farewell remarks to the White House staff in the East Room of the White House, photograph by Karl Schumacher, August 9, 1974
National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials Staff, College Park, Maryland [NLNS-E3392C-13]
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Richard Nixon departs from the White House before Gerald Ford was sworn in as President, photograph by Oliver F. Atkins, August 9, 1974
National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials Staff, College Park, Maryland [NLNS-E3398-09]
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President Ford delivering remarks in the East Room of the White House moments after being sworn in, photograph by David Hume Kennerly, August 9, 1974
National Archives, Gerald R. Ford Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan [NLGRF-AV95-4-238-1]
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