Richard Milhous Nixon
The 37th President of the United States and 36th Vice president under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Milhous Nixon’s second term as President ended with him resigning and leaving office. The result of the cover-up of the Watergate break-in investigation. Could he have been prevented this? A look at his birth order will show us how he instinctively reacted to outside pressures in his life, and will give a better understanding of the man himself.
Early Years
Born to a poor Quaker family in Southern California, he was the second of five boys. There was a four year gap between the oldest boy and the next three births. This gap gave Richard a Double Birth Order. He was the Second born but the Oldest in the second family, giving him a Two/One double birth order.
1909 Harold Died 1933 Age 24 One/Only Birth Order 4-year gap
1913 Richard Two/One Birth Order 1914 Donald Three/Two Birth Order 1918 Arthur Four/Three Birth Order
12-year gap 1930 Edward Only/Five Birth Order
In 1927 Harold, the oldest brother, was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. Richard was a freshman in High school. His mother moved to Arizona with his brother for his health. Richard now had to act like the Firstborn, knowing that when his brother returned he had to move back to his Second born position. This increased the pressure on him; he had to spend more time helping in the family store. In spite of waking at 4am to drive the family truck to Los Angeles for vegetables, he made the football team, debating team and graduated third in his class of 207. He was offered a tuition grant to Harvard but could not attend due to his brother’s illness and the family financial situation; instead, he went to Whittier College where he played basketball, football, and was on the debating team. While in college, he founded a new school literary society. Graduating summa cum Laude in 1934, he went on to Duke School of Law on a scholarship and graduated third in his class.
A Permanent Change in Birth Order
When Richard was 20 years old, his brother returned home to celebrate his mother’s birthday. Harold died that day in his mother’s arms and Richard had to give her his brother’s present. This had to be a traumatic experience and a memory he carried with him for the rest of his life. At birth, until the death of his brother, Richard had the traits of both a Firstborn born and Second born. A high achiever trait of the firstborn and someone that did not want to be told what to do, a second born trait. He would be very protective of his personal space and this showed all through his life. After the death of his brother, Richard moved up to the Firstborn position. He was now in a position of leadership but still carried the Second born trait, wanting to protect his own space.
Marriage
Nixon met Thelma “Pat” Ryan when they were cast in a production of, The Dark Tower, at Whittier Community College. Nixon describes his meeting as, “a case of love at first sight,” it was not for Pat. She turned him down several times before agreeing to a first date. He was right, it was meant to be. They both had similar birth orders. Nixon, now the Firstborn, and she a Fifth born, which starts the birth order numbers all over again. A fifth born is a second level firstborn. The marriage lasted a lifetime. She died first and he four months later.
Nixon’s Personality
Everyone mentions that Nixon had a complex personality. No doubt they were seeing a mix of traits of a Firstborn and Second born. I believe he was trying to act as a Firstborn but his innate Second born traits would color the picture. Some saw him as very secretive but awkward, inclined to distance himself from people but was formal in all aspects. Conrad Black described him as being “driven” though “uneasy with himself in some ways.” Biographer Elizabeth Drew said Nixon was a “smart talented man, but most peculiar and haunted of presidents”. Richard Reeves described Nixon as “a strange man of uncomfortable shyness, who functioned best alone with his thoughts”. Nixon believed putting distance between himself and others was necessary. “Even with close friends, I don’t believe in letting your hair down, confiding this and that… I believe you should keep your troubles to yourself. That is just the way I am. ….Some people think its good therapy to sit with a close friend and spill your guts….reveal their inner psyche….Not me. No way.”
Two Political Crises
Nixon had two significant political crises in his life. The first when he was campaigning with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, as his Vice Presidential running mate. The media reported he had a political fund and that his backers paid his political expenses. This was not illegal; there were allegations of potential conflict of interest. Nixon went on television in 1952 and told millions of Americans that the fund was not secret and he was a man of modest means. He delivered it with much emotion, he dropped his protective shield to expose himself and it worked. Eisenhower kept him on the ticket. As a result, he would not give back a gift of a cocker spaniel that his daughter had named Checkers. This became the “Checkers” speech. His second crisis was the cover-up of the Watergate break in of the Democratic headquarters. He continued to deny any involvement until his secret tapes were found. The side of his personality that refused to allow others into his personal space was his downfall. The cover up, not the crime, was the problem. He lost his party’s support and to avoid impeachment he resigned the presidency. Had he been more open and transparent, the outcome may have been different, but his instinctive reaction caused by his birth order traits doomed him from winning this battle.
His Accomplishments
In spite of his leaving office early in his second term, he achieved many legislative successes. He ended our involvement in Vietnam in 1973, ended the military draft, and lowered the voting age to 18. He enforced desegregation of Southern schools, and established the Environmental Protection Agency. His administration began the war on drugs and cancer, and presided over the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and established Amtrak. The formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration occurred during his administration. After he left office and in retirement, he opened diplomacy with both Russia and China. He always said history would look favorably on his legacy and it has.
For more information about birth order and especially Double Birth Orders you can find it in my book, Life’s Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout Life by Dr. Robert V.V. Hurst, or on my web sites: www.mybirthorder.com or www.lifesfingerprint.com
