In Bogotá they’re showing a movie titled Frost/Nixon about the famous
television interviews with the English TV host David Frost in which
ex-president Richard Nixon suddenly confessed in 1977 that he’d told lies in
1974
Former
President Richard Nixon and British interviewer
Sir
David Frost: The ramifications of that interview and
Nixon's
entire career have been a lesson to many world
leaders
… a lesson that has not necessarily been in the
public
interest.
Semana, Colombia
Around the World,
Politicians Have Learned from Nixon
"One could cite many examples
of the success politicians from around the world have had by following Richard
Nixon's moral teachings, from France to Zimbabwe, from Russia to
Cambodia or even Madagascar. … Everyone wanted to be like him, except for his
melancholy end. That's why they copied his success, but were careful not to
repeat his errors. His success was only this: coming to power through trickery.
Meanwhile, his mistakes were three: first, getting caught up in his own lies;
second, letting go of power; and third, admitting his guilt."
Frost/Nixon recounts two days of interviews between Sir David Frost and former President Richard M. Nixon. For politicians around the world, the lessons of these interviews and Richard Nixon's career appear to be: Don't get caught, and don't ever admit to wrongdoing.
In Bogotá they're showing a film
entitled Frost/Nixon about the famous 1977 television interviews of British presenter
David Frost and ex-President Richard Nixon, in which Nixon suddenly confessed that
he had told lies in 1974. Nothing similar has happened since. Never again has a
politician recognized that what he said, announced, told, or promised to do, or
assured that he didn't do, wasn't true. No one since has performed a public act
of contrition like Nixon's, with the exception, of course, of the abject "self-criticisms"
coerced out of some by torture or threats, or purchased with the promise of
rewards or legal benefits. Like, say, in the Moscow show trials of
Stalin's time or in the "free interpretations" of Colombia's Justice
and Peace Law by the high commissioner of peace, Luis Carlos Restrepo.
Nixon's confession of his sins, far from doing any good, served to sink him
even further in the eyes of his country and the world. And by charging $600,000
for this, it discredited him doubly: As a businessman and as a bad businessman.
The movie isn't any good. But
it's worth seeing for this lesson in living history, which traces the original
interviews exactly as they were done, with that rare moment of truth in which
the most famous North American political liar was forced to acknowledge that
yes, he was [a liar], and ask for forgiveness in a litany of self criticism
like an alcoholic who wants to give up drink:
"I let down my friends,"
Nixon says; "I let down my country, I let down our system of government, I
let down the dreams of all those young people who should be getting in to
government but they're going to think that it's all too corrupt … I let down
the American people, and I have to carry that burden with me for the rest of my
life."
THE FROST/NIXON INTERVIEWS: A MOMENT OF TRUTH
Perhaps "young people"
who wanted to dedicate themselves to politics had their dreams sullied by Nixon's
bad example. I wonder … back then, how old was some beginner politician like, let
us say, [President] Álvaro Uribe Vélez? Twenty-five. He has just been appointed
head of government-owned enterprises in Medellín. Maybe that young man's dreams
were clouded by Nixon, but it also opened his eyes. Richard Nixon, called
Tricky Dick, became a role model to be imitated: Everyone wanted to be like him,
except for his melancholy end. That's why they copied his success, but were
very careful not to repeat his errors. His success was only this: coming to
power through trickery. Meanwhile, his mistakes were three: First, getting
caught up in his own lies; second, letting go of power; and third, admitting
his guilt.
Following this lesson, Bill
Clinton, who was threatened like Nixon with impeachment and a Congressional trial
to revoke his mandate for motives less serious than Nixon's
politically-motivated espionage and legal persecution [of his enemies], refused
to resign for the very private sin of adultery. Neither did George W. Bush
resign, guilty of even greater misconduct, starting with the electoral fraud
that brought him to the White House. Bush outsmarted the cunning Nixon by putting
into practice a doctrine Nixon put forth in theory during his interview with
Frost:
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
"When the President does it - that means that it is not illegal."
One could cite many
examples of the success that politicians around the world have had following
Richard Nixon's moral teachings, from France to Zimbabwe, from Russia to
Cambodia and even Madagascar. But perhaps it's enough to observe what has happened
in our modest Colombian environment. President Ernesto Samper [1994-98], for
example, never acknowledged his guilt in the mafia financing of his
presidential campaign, even after announcing, "I'm here and I'm here to
stay," had his judgment precluded by his supporters in Congress. Samper
was a good disciple of Nixon - and of Bush - but just a beginner if you compare
him to [President] Álvaro Uribe. Yes - Samper "was there," but he stayed
only as long as his constitutionally-approved mandate lasted. Even bolder, Uribe
is reelected again and again so that illegally, he can remain there forever. The
only guarantee is that neither the Congress, the courts, nor anyone else will
ever judge him.
[Editor's Note: Uribe has been
Colombian president since August 2002. In the May 2006 election, he won a second
four-year term with 62.2 percent of all cast ballots. He was able to run again
after pro-Uribe lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Constitutional
Court sanctioned a plan to allow immediate presidential re-election. But after
issuing its ruling, the court warned that the clause wasn't valid for unlimited
presidential re-election. Uribe needs a new constitutional amendment to run
again READ
MORE].
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
DAVID FROST TALKS TO DIRECTOR RON HOWARD ABOUT FROST/NIXON
This is something that in
their naivety, Argentina's military dictators didn't realize - so today they're
in jail. Nor did Chile's Augusto Pinochet, who also ended up a prisoner (for mock
health reasons, under house arrest). Nor even the "darling" of Peru,
Alberto Fujimori, who never even figured out why he had to leave power, and after
a few years in exile, is now being embarrassed by being tried by Peruvian
judges with the prospect of being condemned to life in prison.
But I don't think we'll ever
get to see our Álvaro Uribe come up against these issues of imprudence. Apart
from Nixon's teachings, we have this nearby example of Fujimori as a warning to
him. And the recommendation of the old refrain: He who move his feet, loses his
seat.
