The Presidency: Polite Indictment

In the first months of his Administration, Richard Nixon was understandably reluctant to engage the Democratic Congress in dispute. His priorities were Viet Nam and inflation; he wanted no damaging distractions. The President's main goals are unchanged today, but his political position has altered. His Administration is under attack on several issues and he stands accused of nonleadership. His relations with Congress having already deteriorated, Nixon has nothing to lose by going on the offensive. This week he lodged a polite but unmistakable indictment of the Democrats. He sought to show that they, rather than the Administration, are responsible...

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