# So, what did happen when Nixon died? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 7, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633 "2003-05-07T11:08:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/1 "2003-05-07T11:08:57Z")
Call me totally out of touch with reality, but I didn’t know Richard Nixon was dead. Seriously. I managed to miss it for nine years. Found out today. Anyway, this made me remember an old column of Cecil’s in which he is asked what will happen when Nixon dies. Will there be a day of mourning, flag on half-pole, etc. Cecil said something to the effect of that this was up to the president in charge when Nixon died, and that he may well declare a day of embarrassed hemming and hawing. I can’t find the column, it seems to have been eaten by the Men In Black. Even the Wayback Machine doesn’t have it. Anyway, what _did_ happen when Nixon bought it? What did Clinton do? ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/2 "2003-05-07T11:45:27Z")
From Martin Weil and Eleanor Randolph, “[Richard M. Nixon, 37th President, Dies](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/stories/nixobit.htm),” _Washington Post_, 23 Apr. 1994, A01: > [@](#): > > President Clinton announced Nixon’s death at a formal appearance in the White House Rose Garden, praising his predecessor as “a statesman who sought to build a lasting structure of peace.” Clinton declared a national day of mourning, and said he would attend Nixon’s funeral, which will be held at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Wednesday at 4 p.m. California time. The body of the former congressman, U.S. senator, vice president and president will travel aboard a presidential jet to his native California, and public viewing will be from 3 p.m. Tuesday until 11 a.m. Wednesday. More in the thread [Why was Nixon honored with US flags at half mast when he died?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=178101) ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/3 "2003-05-08T01:20:09Z")
Well, I got the day off when they had his funeral. ---
**Author:** ![Sparteye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Sparteye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparteye)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/4 "2003-05-08T02:20:40Z")
I didn’t get the day off, but I remember photos of the funeral, with a rather impressive display of former presidents in attendance. Amazingly, while Nixon still lived there were six living current/former presidents: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan, Bush and Clinton. I doubt that has ever happened before. They all attended the funeral. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/5 "2003-05-08T22:55:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Amazingly, while Nixon still lived there were six living current/former presidents: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan, Bush and Clinton. I doubt that has ever happened before. They all attended the funeral. Of course, one of them didn’t exactly have much choice in the matter. And I think you may be right about the historic first: Remember that Reagan was the president who broke the supposed “Tecumseh curse”: It isn’t too uncommon for a president to die in office. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/6 "2003-05-09T01:39:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sparteye \* > \*\*Amazingly, while Nixon still lived there were six living current/former presidents: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan, Bush and Clinton. I doubt that has ever happened before. They all attended the funeral. \*\* You’re right, **Sparteye** (and **Chronos** ), it never had happened before: > [@](#): > > Because ex-presidents are living longer, in-office presidents have to deal with having more of them around. Other than Washington, of course, every president has taken office with at least one living predecessor. In the first two centuries of the republic, Abraham Lincoln was the only president inaugurated with five former presidents alive. Remarkably, Clinton became the second and George W. Bush the third. Thomas F. Schaller, “[I Will Survive: Bill Clinton and other still-rockin’ ex-presidents](http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/webfeatures/2002/06/schaller-t-06-18.html),” _The American Prospect_. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/7 "2003-05-09T02:57:43Z")
“To the dismay of those that stood by, about the body…a grey mist gathered, and rising slowly to a great height like smoke from a fire, as a pale shrouded figure it loomed over the Hill. For a momont it wavered, looking to the West; but out of the West came a cold wind, and it bent away, and with a sigh dissolved into nothing.” ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/8 "2003-05-09T02:58:54Z")
I wanna spellcheck, dammit! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Mook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/9 "2003-05-09T05:58:11Z")
I agrea! ---
**Author:** ![sawatzky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@sawatzky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sawatzky)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/10 "2003-05-09T14:00:48Z")
Isn’t that what the EDIT button is for? ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/11 "2003-05-09T15:52:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brianmelendez \* > \*\*You’re right, **Sparteye** (and **Chronos** ), it never had happened before:Thomas F. Schaller, “[I Will Survive: Bill Clinton and other still-rockin’ ex-presidents](http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/webfeatures/2002/06/schaller-t-06-18.html),” _The American Prospect_. \*\* Hold up. That says that it did happen before, with Lincoln’s inaugaration, and the almanac seems to bear that out. Lincoln was inaugarated with Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Tyler and Van Buren still alive. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/12 "2003-05-09T16:34:47Z")
Nixon, by surviving 20 years after his ignoble resignation, managed to play on the incredible ability of Americans to forget the past. He was a past president, so give him all honour and glory, and forget that he wrecked the office for all his successors, that he left a legacy of complete mistrust in government. Thanks, **Oxy,** for the laugh du jour. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/13 "2003-05-09T17:12:45Z")
**Ex-Presidents:** March 4, 1797-Dec. 14, 1799: Washington Dec. 15, 1799-March 3, 1801: _none_ March 4, 1801-March 3, 1809: Adams March 4, 1809-March 3, 1817: Adams, Jefferson March 4, 1817-March 3, 1825: Adams, Jefferson, Madison March 4, 1825-July 4, 1826: Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe July 5, 1826-March 3, 1829: Madison, Monroe March 4, 1829-July 4, 1831: Madison, Monroe, JQ Adams July 5, 1831-June 28, 1836: Madison, JQ Adams June 28, 1836-March 3, 1837: JQ Adams March 4, 1837-March 3, 1841: JQ Adams, Jackson March 4, 1841-March 3, 1845: JQ Adams, Jackson, Van Buren March 3-June 8, 1845: JQ Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, Tyler June 9, 1845-Feb. 23, 1848: JQ Adams, Van Buren, Tyler Feb. 24, 1848-March 3, 1849: Van Buren, Tyler March 4-June 15, 1849: Van Buren, Tyler, Polk June 16, 1849-March 3, 1853: Van Buren, Tyler March 4, 1853-March 3, 1857: Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore March 4, 1857-March 3, 1861: Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore, Pierce March 3, 1861-Jan, 18, 1862: Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan Jan. 19-July 24, 1862: Van Buren, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan July 25, 1862-June 1, 1868: Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan June 2, 1868-March 3, 1869: Fillmore, Pierce March 4-Oct. 8, 1869: Fillmore, Pierce, A Johnson Oct. 9, 1869-March 8, 1874: Fillmore, A Johnson March 8, 1874-July 31, 1875: A Johnson July 31, 1875-March 3, 1877: _none_ March 4, 1877-March 3, 1881: Grant March 4, 1881-March 3, 1885: Grant, Hayes March 4-July 23, 1885: Grant, Hayes, Arthur July 24, 1885-Nov. 18, 1886: Hayes, Arthur Nov. 19, 1886-March 3, 1889: Hayes March 4, 1889-Jan. 19, 1893: Hayes, Cleveland Jan. 19-March 3, 1893: Cleveland (interestingly, the only living ex-President was also President-Elect during these six weeks!) March 4, 1893-March 3, 1897: Harrison March 4, 1897-March 13, 1901: Cleveland, Harrison March 14, 1901-June 24, 1908: Cleveland June 24, 1908-March 3, 1909: _none_ March 4, 1909-March 3, 1913: T Roosevelt March 4, 1913-Jan. 6, 1919: T Roosevelt, Taft Jan. 7, 1919-March 3, 1921: Taft March 4, 1921-Feb. 3, 1924: Taft, Wilson Feb. 4, 1924-March 3, 1929: Taft March 4, 1929-March 8, 1930: Taft, Coolidge March 9, 1930-Jan. 5, 1933: Coolidge Jan. 6-March 3, 1933: _none_ March 4, 1933-Jan. 20, 1953: Hoover Jan. 21, 1953-Jan. 20, 1961: Hoover, Truman Jan. 21, 1961-Oct. 20, 1964: Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower Oct. 21, 1964-Jan. 20, 1969: Truman, Eisenhower Jan. 20-March 28, 1969: Truman, Eisenhower, LB Johnson March 29, 1969-Dec. 26, 1972: Truman, LB Johnson Dec. 26, 1972-Jan. 22, 1973: LB Johnson Jan. 22, 1973-Aug. 9, 1974: _none_ Aug. 10, 1974-Jan. 20, 1977: Nixon Jan. 21, 1977-Jan. 20, 1981: Nixon, Ford Jan. 21, 1891-Jan. 20, 1989: Nixon, Ford, Carter Jan. 21, 1989-Jan. 20, 1993: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan Jan. 21, 1993-Apr. 22, 1994: Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush Aug. 22, 1994-Jan. 20, 2001: Ford, Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush Jan. 21, 2001-present: Ford, Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush, Clinton ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/14 "2003-05-09T17:26:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\* > Jan. 22, 1973-Aug. 9, 1974: _none_ > \*\* I’d forgotten this. So, Nixon had no peer, at the time. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-did-happen-when-nixon-died/173633/15 "2003-05-09T19:16:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RM Mentock \* > \*\*Hold up. That says that it did happen before, with Lincoln’s inaugaration, and the almanac seems to bear that out. Lincoln was inaugarated with Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Tyler and Van Buren still alive. \*\* D’oh! :smack: I just realized what I wrote and you’re right, **RM Mentock** , it _had_ happened before that there were six living presidents (as my own cite says). What had _not_ happened before (and what I meant to write) was that five presidents had never before assembled in one place until Nixon’s funeral.