Nixon Reconsidered by Joan Hoff: A Critical Book Review

Introduction and Hoff's Central Thesis

It took author Joan Hoff ten years to write Nixon Reconsidered, her book about former President Richard M. Nixon. Her thesis is stated plainly on the book's first page: "It is time to look coldly at the five and a half years of Nixon's administration, to determine how they might have been written about if Watergate had not dominated our interpretation of the man since 1974, and to suggest how he will be interpreted in the textbooks of the next century" (Hoff 1). Hoff wants to consider the man, the president, and his life apart from the Watergate scandal, for which Nixon remains most notorious. Her goal is to rethink his motives and presidency, to identify what positive things he accomplished, and to explore what motivated him to undertake or approve of the Watergate break-in.

Her book is a detailed and well-researched examination of Nixon that may lead at least some readers to reconsider their opinion of the man and his accomplishments. Rather than simply rehearsing the familiar narrative of scandal and disgrace, Hoff invites readers to weigh the full record of his administration against a single, albeit defining, episode in American political history.

Nixon as an 'Aprincipled' Leader

Hoff maintains that Nixon was "aprincipled," a term she defines as describing a person who does not or cannot admit wrongdoing because he does not perceive that he has done anything wrong according to societal or moral standards (Hoff 3). Through this book, however, she intends to show that Nixon — although he may be most remembered for his aprincipled handling and cover-up of the Watergate affair — should be remembered for many other things he accomplished during his presidency, both domestically and in foreign policy. She aims to give the reader insight into these accomplishments in order to support her claim that Nixon was far more than the Watergate scandal, and that he deserves to be remembered as a president who achieved a great deal, rather than one who left office in turmoil and disgrace.

Bias, Neutrality, and Political Leanings

While Hoff does not spend much time discussing her own political beliefs or party affiliations, it is not difficult to infer that her leanings are conservative and that she is sympathetic to Nixon — a disposition that may have at least slightly biased her reporting. She writes, "Nixon's long public career and truncated presidency represent both the best and the worst of the post-World War II political system in the United States — nothing more and nothing less" (Hoff 2). Her support makes her more sympathetic to Nixon and his presidency, yet it also undermines some of the book's impact, because readers naturally question her neutrality as they work through her argument. She acknowledges having been a Nixon critic during his presidency, but her research, or the passage of time, appears to have mellowed that criticism considerably.

Her criticism is, however, sharp when directed at the "technocrats" surrounding modern presidents — the campaign managers and pollsters who spin presidential elections and wield considerable power in Washington. She writes, "The packaged, passionless presidency now served up to the American people every four years by these media consultants in soupy, sentimental, nostalgic statements about the good old days, or in nasty, negative, fifteen-second sound bites, reached new heights in the 1988 and 1992 presidential campaigns" (Hoff 10). Hoff clearly has no use for political consultants, and she believes most modern presidents are heavily influenced by their aides and cabinets as well. This raises a key question that shapes much of her analysis: how did this kind of influence affect the Nixon presidency?

Conclusion: Nixon's Legacy Reconsidered

Author Joan Hoff offers an intimate and fascinating look inside the life and thoughts of former President Nixon. Nixon was one of the most notable and disliked American presidents, but this book illuminates many of his accomplishments and successes. She quotes another historian: "If we have peace over the next fifty years, I think Nixon will go down in the history books as one of our truly great Presidents. The Watergate episode will then receive a mere footnote in the history books. — Arthur Burns, remarks at a public forum, October 29, 1985" (Hoff 329). This may not be the conclusion of many other historians, but Hoff uses her research to present and prove her thesis, backs it up with examples, and, despite some personal bias, does not allow that bias to cloud her conclusions entirely.

There may be a more balanced view of Nixon and his presidency available elsewhere, but Hoff's research outweighs her bias and suggests that Richard Nixon may be one of the most misunderstood presidents of the modern era. His accomplishments may well outweigh the Watergate affair, but unfortunately, that scandal remains what most people remember about Richard M. Nixon. Readers who engage seriously with this book may come away with a meaningfully different opinion of the man and his legacy.

References

Hoff, Joan. Nixon Reconsidered. New York: Basic Books, 1994.