Nixon's Queer Tape

A new Nixon tape was found that shined a light on what he thought of gay people, as well as some in his inner circle. The hilarious thing is it's all about "All in the Family" (though he couldn't remember the name of the show), and a story about "Arch" and his son-in-law's gay friend. Anyway, here's the video. Hat tip (and quotes from) Towleroad.



Pretty awesome, huh?

Loved when Nixon talked about the things homosexuality led the downfall to - a list that included the Greeks, the Romans and the United Kingdom. Of course, "strong" societies rooted it out, like the Russians. That's why the Soviet Union collapsed only decades later. I wonder which gay relationship he would have blamed that downfall on, around 30 years later.

Of course, the big curiosity is the censorship. Nixon starts off by saying, "But the point is, I do not mind the homosexuality. I understand it." Then there's a 14 second long beep. Here's one plausible theory:

In the tape, Nixon tells the aides, "But the point is, I do not mind the homosexuality. I understand it." There is then a 14-second beep. A commenter on the YouTube site says that during the 14-second beep Nixon was discussing J. Edgar Hoover and his "live-in companion."

Nixon goes on to say, "But nevertheless, the point that I make is that Goddamn it, I do not think that you glorify on public television homosexuality."

So it seems like not only was Nixon a hypocrite and homophobe, but a small-minded gossiper, too.

Another awesome quote, "Sure Aristotle was a homo, we all know that, and so was Socrates." Nixon's staffer goes on to say, "but he didn't have the have the influence that television had."

That's funny on so many levels.

Seriously, listen to the whole thing. So many choice quotes. Did you know, for example, that the reason why women's fashion was so bad back in those days was because the "faggy" designers "hate women?" True story, in the perverted, obscene and petty mind of Richard Nixon.