Richard Nixon biography

One of the secret recordings confirmed the allegations of the cover-up indicating that Nixon knew from the beginning. This revelation became known as the "smoking gun" implicating the president in the scandal.

Upon the threat of a likely impeachment conviction, Richard Nixon resigned from the office of the presidency on August 9, 1974. He was succeeded by Gerald Ford,

whom Nixon had appointed vice president in 1973 after Spiro Agnew resigned his office amid charges of committing bribery, extortion and tax evasion during his tenure as governor of Maryland. Nixon was pardoned by President Ford on September 8, 1974.

Retirement and Death

After his resignation, Richard Nixon retired with his wife to the seclusion of his estate in San Clemente, California. For several months he was distraught and disoriented. Gradually, he regrouped and by 1977, began forming a public-relations comeback. In August, Nixon met with British commentator David Frost for a series of interviews where Nixon sent mixed messages of contrition and pride, while never admitting any wrong-doing. While the interviews were met with mixed reviews, they were watched by many and positively contributed to Nixon's public image.

In 1978, Nixon published RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon, an intensely personal examination of his life, public career and White House years; the book became a best-seller. He also authored several books on international affairs and American foreign policy, modestly rehabilitating his public reputation and earning him role as an elder foreign-policy expert.

On June 22, 1993, Richard Nixon's wife, Pat Nixon, died of lung cancer. Nixon took the loss hard, and some speculated that he wouldn't live much longer after Pat's death. On April 22, 1994, just 10 months after his wife's death, Richard Nixon died of a massive stroke in New York City. President Bill Clinton was joined by four former presidents to pay homage to the 37th president. His body lay in repose in the Nixon Library lobby, and an estimated 50,000 people waited in a heavy rain for up to 18 hours to file past the casket and pay their last respects. He was buried beside his wife at his birthplace, in Yorba Linda, California.

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