Being Nixon: A Man Divided

by Evan Thomas

To be so stridently called out by the vice president of the United States was intimidating to communications executives whose businesses were licensed by the federal government. At first, they were cowed. They worried, not unreasonably, about losing their broadcast licenses.16 And for the next massive antiwar demonstration, on November 15, the news coverage was different, more skeptical, cooler. The protest was different, too—uglier, more violent. At the Justice Department, protesters chanting “Smash the state!” tore down the American flag and hoisted a Vietcong flag. Standing on the balcony, Attorney General John Mitchell gave them the finger.17 At the White House, ringed by city buses to keep the mob away, there was talk of using helicopters to blow out the protesters’ candles. Nixon pretended to ignore the whole thing, watching a football game on TV.18 He knew that he had shifted the public perception, aligned himself with patriots and identified the antiwar movement with the bombers and flag-burners. He was winning the PR war.