100 birthday candles for Richard Nixon

President Richard Milhous Nixon

This week is Richard Nixon’s centennial and some, like fans in Yorba Linda, are celebrating with 21-gun salutes and special exhibits, while politicos are talking about lessons learned from the only president to resign from office. Expect to hear plenty of reflection this week on a complex character in American history and an influential leader who made lasting contributions to foreign affairs as well as the partisan acrimony in Washington. We thought we’d take a minute to actually hear from the man himself, a collection of high and low moments in the political life of the 37th president…

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, General Alexander Haig, and President Nixon at Camp David. (The Nixon Library.)

And of course, Nixon’s legacy will live on via tape. Listen here to the president calling up Dr. Henry Kissinger and asking him what he thought about a recent Vietnam speech that Nixon had clearly hoped would shake up a few colleagues and adversaries.

On a lighter note, here’s your tune of the today. The classic, “More than ever, Nixon now, for you and me.”