People - President Richard Nixon in Oklahoma - OSU

Campaigning for Vice President in the early 1950s, Richard Nixon visits Greenwood, north of downtown Tulsa. The area was known as America's Black Wall Street, and Nixon wanted to improve his support among blacks. He's accompanied by his late wife Pat. In 1966, after serving as Vice President, Nixon was in Bartlesville, campaigning on behalf of Second District Congressional candidate Denzel Garrison. The former Vice President was pleased with the prospects of a big Republican win. The only thing I want from my efforts in this campaign is more Republicans in the House, more Republicans in the Senate, and more Republican governors and more Republican let's say legislators. If we accomplish that, that to me is what I'm after. It has nothing to do with any other activity.

Later that same year, Nixon was in Tulsa as an unofficial presidential candidate. He was blasting the Johnson administration's inability to deal with the Vietnam War. This is the first foreign war in the United States history in which the United States has fought alone, with no support from our European allies and with support only from Australia, New Zealand, and Korea in Asia. Not only do our European allies not help us fight the enemy, they are helping the enemy by trading with the enemy and dating the enemy. Just before the 1968 presidential election, Nixon stumped at an Oklahoma City rally at the airport. He was running against Democrat Hubert Humphrey. Following this rally in Oklahoma City, Nixon went on to defeat Humphrey and became president of the United States in office he held until 1974.

I'm Jack Frank with Oklahoma Memories. The war may night in 1974, Stowe Water's Lewis Stadium was packed with OSU graduates, their families, and some hecklers. President Nixon was entangled in the Watergate scandal, but he kept his promise to speak at OSU's commencement. He was welcomed by then OSU president, Robert Karl. All of us here tonight are very much aware of the current pressures and problems which confront the president. I would observe that he comes, I would observe that he comes both as our president and as a fellow human being, in coming to this commencement ceremony, in coming to this commencement ceremony, Mr. President, we accord you the affection and the respect which is due one who is given so much of himself in public service. We welcome you, Mr. President, to our campus and we thank you and Mrs. Nixon for coming.

Now ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States, the Honorable Richard M. Nixon. There was some hostility in the audience, some didn't want Nixon there, and as the president began to speak, protesters walked out. And in the great tradition of an educational institution, I'm very happy that there are some here who obviously disapprove of the speaker and there are others who approve of the speaker. This was just months before Nixon would resign. He did not say the word Watergate that night, but made reference to the controversy that would topple his presidency. Those who are interested in our country have been concerned, as I have been deep to concern by the political problems that we have had in Washington. I can only say a misnone political occasion, this, that having presented all of the evidence

to the Congress of the United States, I trust that the House of Representatives will act promptly so that we can reach a decision so that the president, the Congress, can get on with the people's business as we should. Nixon used the commencement speech to try to ease some hostilities that were left from Vietnam. We can be thankful that for the first time in 12 years, the United States is at peace with every nation in the world.