Nixon at War

Nixon at War

Tone
News Style, Investigative, Story-forward
Format
Documentary
Average duration
45–60 min

Most accounts of the collapse of Richard Nixon’s presidency begin with Watergate — the now iconic tale of a bungled break-in and the misbegotten cover-up that followed.  But what led to Watergate?  How — and more puzzlingly, why — did one of the shrewdest, most gifted political figures of his time become embroiled in so manifestly lunatic an enterprise in the first place? Intrigued by that question, writer/journalist Kurt Andersen takes a deep dive into the vast archives at the Nixon Library and emerges with an answer he wasn’t expecting.

Hosted by:
Kurt Andersen
Produced by:
PRX
Years released:
2026

Episodes

  • October Surprise

    June 14, 2021E1

    For President Richard Nixon, the publication of the Pentagon Papers, in June 1971, ought not to have mattered. The malfeasance and mendacity revealed in the Times had all happened under previous administrations, from Truman to LBJ. But it is not the contents of the Pentagon Papers that he's worried about. It is the leaking of classified information that has stoked his fury, and his fear. For Richard Nixon has secrets of his own, secrets that if brought to light, could sink his presidency.

    Guests:
    Evan Thomas, Ken Hughes