# Why was Nixon honored with US flags at half mast when he died? He was a crook! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515 "2003-04-18T07:10:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![reiayanami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@reiayanami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reiayanami)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/1 "2003-04-18T07:10:19Z")
Why did the US government fly the US flags at half mast when Richard Nixon died? He certainly was no hero, just a crook. Richard Nixon besmirched the office of the President through blantant criminal felony acts involving himself and high gov’t officials including the Attorney General, the highest law-enforment official in the country. He even cheated jail by appointing Ford his replacment. Ford then pardoned Nixon in return for the appointment. NOTE: Ford did not grant Nixon amnesty for crimes he “may” have commited… Ford PARDONED Nixon for crimes he was guilty of. Even Nixon’s handpicked lapdog thought he was quilty. This is why Nixon didn’t go to jail with the rest of his white house cabinent. Afterwards, in an interview with David Frost, He publically admitied his quilt by brazenly complaining because he got caught. When he died, I assumed congress would tactfully ignore the whole affair and let the disgraced public leader fade away. Instead, they actually honored the criminal by flying flags at half mast. They even have a robot Nixon at Disneyland in the Hall of Presidents. If Walt Disney was still alive, he’d have had enough sense to omit “Tricky Dicky” from the lineup. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/2 "2003-04-18T07:13:43Z")
All US Presidents are honored with the half-mast treatment when they die, not just the ones we really, really like. And history’s definitive judgment of him might actually be kinder than yours or mine. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/3 "2003-04-18T07:25:16Z")
As guilty as Nixon seemed, he was never convicted, nor even fully impeached (as Clinton or A. Johnson). I am sure President Clinton will be given these honors as well when he dies, despite being impeached. If a President were to be impeached and convicted, whould he recieve that treatment? ---
**Author:** ![reiayanami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@reiayanami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reiayanami)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/4 "2003-04-18T07:32:53Z")
I believe it takes a special act by Congress to lower the Flags. It’s not an automatic thing. It has to be decided upon by someone. The only way that they could fly the flags at half mast for Nixon was if someone made a decision to give permision to do so. Someone had to say "Lets honor that Crook!!! Our tax dollars paid for this process, as well as paying someone to implement it. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/5 "2003-04-18T07:42:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > Why did the US government fly the US flags at half mast when Richard Nixon died? He certainly was no hero, just a crook. Perhaps. But we was not convicted of a crime, and current flag statutes specify that the flag is to be flown at half-staff for 30 days when a President dies. > [@](#): > > He even cheated jail by appointing Ford his replacment. Ford then pardoned Nixon in return for the appointment. NOTE: Ford did not grant Nixon amnesty for crimes he “may” have commited… Ford PARDONED Nixon for crimes he was guilty of. Even Nixon’s handpicked lapdog thought he was quilty. Nobody “appointed” Ford as Nixon’s replacement. Ford was elected as Vice President and assumed the position of President when Nixon resigned as was his Constitutional duty. The President does not have the power to fire the VP and he can only appoint a new one in the case of the death or resignation of the elected one, and then only with the consent of the Senate. > [@](#): > > When he died, I assumed congress would tactfully ignore the whole affair and let the disgraced public leader fade away. Instead, they actually honored the criminal by flying flags at half mast. Actually, it was President Clinton who ordered flags flown at half-staff when Nixon died. Of course, executive orders only apply to those people who report to the executive branch of the government. Nobody made _you_ fly _your flag_ at half-staff. > [@](#): > > They even have a robot Nixon at Disneyland in the Hall of Presidents. If Walt Disney was still alive, he’d have had enough sense to omit “Tricky Dicky” from the lineup. I don’t see why. The guy was a President, whether you like it or not. The fact that he was corrupt is beside the point. Lots of Presidents have done not-very-nice things. That doesn’t excuse it, but I don’t think Nixon’s transgressions were particularly heinous considering the history of that office. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/6 "2003-04-18T07:44:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > I believe it takes a special act by Congress to lower the Flags. It’s not an automatic thing. It has to be decided upon by someone. The only way that they could fly the flags at half mast for Nixon was if someone made a decision to give permision to do so. Well, this is where you’re wrong. Flag-flying is at the discretion of the current President. Congress does create statutes for flag standards and etiquette to be followed by government offices, however. > [@](#): > > Someone had to say "Lets honor that Crook!!! Well, that would be Mr. Clinton. Take it up with him. > [@](#): > > Our tax dollars paid for this process, as well as paying someone to implement it. I seriously doubt it was that expensive. The flags were already there. Personally, I think there are far more agregious issues to consider if you’re worrying about high taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/7 "2003-04-18T07:50:41Z")
**friedo** wrote: > [@](#): > > Nobody “appointed” Ford as Nixon’s replacement. Ford was elected as Vice President and assumed the position of President when Nixon resigned as was his Constitutional duty. The President does not have the power to fire the VP and he can only appoint a new one in the case of the death or resignation of the elected one, and then only with the consent of the Senate. In fact, Ford was appointed VP after Spiro Agnew, who’d been re-elected to the position, resigned. Ford was never elected President or Vice President. ---
**Author:** ![lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lite)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/8 "2003-04-18T08:00:24Z")
So Congress must approve a half-mast flying? Would you support this if a Congress was in majority that opposed NASA funding? Would Congress need to approve a half-mast after 9-11? It’s obvious you’re (theOP) a left-wing extremist who just doesn’t understand that Nixon faced impeachment, then resigned for the good of the country because he was guilty, while defending Clinton for fighting the rule of law. Even a jaded “professor” from Berkley can explain the law. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/9 "2003-04-18T08:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Krokodil \* > \*\ ***friedo** wrote: > In fact, Ford was appointed VP after Spiro Agnew, who’d been re-elected to the position, resigned. Ford was never elected President or Vice President. \*\* Whoops. Forgot about Agnew. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/10 "2003-04-18T08:20:50Z")
There’s a difference between impeached and convicted. Impeached is like having a grand jury refer charges. ---
**Author:** ![reiayanami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@reiayanami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reiayanami)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/11 "2003-04-18T08:28:00Z")
Ahhh, YEEESSS, Forgot about Agnew. Nixon’s VP, Spiro Agnew, was forced to resign for blatant income tax evasion. Nixon was also quilty of this, but the new vice president, (which Nixon DID appoint after Spiro left) , pardoned him for tax evasion after Nixon resigned. I guess one hand washes the other. 🙂 A friend of mine in the IRS said that of all the crimes the Nixon administration commited, the very worst was income tax evasion. Such a terrible example to set for the tax paying public. If everyone followed the ex-president’s and Vice presidents example, then there would be no tax revenue to run the government. ---
**Author:** ![lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lite)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/12 "2003-04-18T10:18:07Z")
Oh yeah, forgot about the saintly workers at the IRS that we pay through tax dollars to find ways to squeeze every penny they can from us. Sorry, gonna have to find another way to convince us. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/13 "2003-04-18T11:15:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > **Why did the US government fly the US flags at half mast when Richard Nixon died?** [Public Law 105-225](http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c105:1:./temp/~c105wD4Lug::), § 2(a) (codified at [4 U.S.C. § 7(m)](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/4/7.html)), codified the practice of flying flags at half-mast when a former President or former Vice President dies: > [@](#): > > In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The current statute is based on a proclamation by President Eisenhower codifying the custom of flying the flag at half-staff in certain cases: > [@](#): > > **PROC. NO. 3044. DISPLAY OF FLAG AT HALF-STAFF UPON DEATH OF CERTAIN OFFICIALS AND FORMER OFFICIALS** > > WHEREAS it is appropriate that the flag of the United States of America be flown at half-staff on Federal buildings, grounds, and facilities upon the death of principal officials and former officials of the Government of the United States and the Governors of the States, Territories, and possessions of the United States as a mark of respect to their memory; and > > WHEREAS it is desirable that rules be prescribed for the uniform observance of this mark of respect by all executive departments and agencies of the Government, and as a guide to the people of the Nation generally on such occasions: > > NOW, THEREFORE, I, DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States, do hereby prescribe and proclaim the following rules with respect to the display of the flag of the United States of America at half-staff upon the death of the officials hereinafter designated: > > 1. The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions for the period indicated upon the death of any of the following-designated officials or former officials of the United States: > > (a) The President or a former President: for thirty days from the day of death. > > The flag shall also be flown at half-staff for such period at all United States embassies, legations, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. > > (b) The Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives: for ten days from the day of death. > > © An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, or the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives: from the day of death until interment. > > . . . . > > 1. In the event of the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries, the flag of the United States shall be displayed at half-staff in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the President, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. > > 2. The heads of the several departments and agencies of the Government may direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on buildings, grounds, or naval vessels under their jurisdiction on occasions other than those specified herein which they consider proper, and that suitable military honors be rendered as appropriate. > > IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed. DONE at the City of Washington this 1st day of March in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-eighth. (seal) Dwight D. Eisenhower Proc. No. 3044, Mar. 1, 1954, 19 F.R. 1235, as amended by Proc. No. 3948, Dec. 12, 1969, 34 F.R. 19699. The incumbent President can modify the statutorily codified rules and customs by proclamation, [4 U.S.C. § 10](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/4/10.html), but the then-incumbent President Clinton did not do so when former President Nixon died. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > **He even cheated jail by appointing Ford his replacment. Ford then pardoned Nixon in return for the appointment. NOTE: Ford did not grant Nixon amnesty for crimes he “may” have commited… Ford PARDONED Nixon for crimes he was guilty of. Even Nixon’s handpicked lapdog thought he was quilty.** **reiayanami** , you are correct that a pardon legally implies guilt. But the speculation that President Nixon named then-House Minority Leader Ford as Vice President in exchange for the pardon has never been more than speculation. There were certainly valid public-policy considerations that weighed against prolonging the constitutional crisis by putting the former President through a public trial, humiliation, and perhaps jail. Former President Ford himself denies any quid pro quo and, while that statement is self-serving and proves nothing by itself, most historians have accepted Ford’s account at face value. Ford received the Profiles in Courage award from the Kennedy family for pardoning Nixon, and journalist Bob Woodward, who won a Pulitzer prize for breaking the Watergate cover-up story, contributed an essay to _Profiles in Courage for Our Time_ that applauded Ford’s decision. The Kennedys and Woodward were never exactly Nixon or Ford apologists. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/14 "2003-04-18T11:33:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > **He even cheated jail by appointing Ford his replacment.** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > **Nobody “appointed” Ford as Nixon’s replacement. Ford was elected as Vice President and assumed the position of President when Nixon resigned as was his Constitutional duty. The President does not have the power to fire the VP and he can only appoint a new one in the case of the death or resignation of the elected one, and then only with the consent of the Senate.** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Krokodil \* > \*\*In fact, Ford was appointed VP after Spiro Agnew, who’d been re-elected to the position, resigned. Ford was never elected President or Vice President. \*\* Filling a vacancy in the Vice Presidency is not an appointment, technically, and it requires action by both congressional chambers, not only the Senate. Under the Appointments Clause, the President > [@](#): > > shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law. U.S. Const., [art. I, § 2](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articleii.html#section2). But appointment is a presidential prerogative: once the Senate advises and consents to a nomination, the President may withhold the appointment, or may appoint and commission but later dismiss the appointed officer. The seminal case on judicial review, [_Marbury v. Madison_](http://www2.law.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/foliocgi.exe/historic/query=%5BGroup+5+U.S.+137:%5D(%5BLevel+Case+Citation:%5D%7C%5BGroup+citemenu:%5D)/doc/%7B@1%7D/hit_headings/words=4/hits_only), involved a commission withheld by President Jefferson’s secretary of state from a judicial officer to whose nomination by President Adams the Senate had advised and consented. But filling a vacancy in the Vice Presidency is a different constitutional process: > [@](#): > > Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress. U.S. Const., [amend. XXV](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxxv.html), § 2. When both houses have acted on the nomination, the nominee takes office without further presidential action, and the President can neither deny office to nor remove the new Vice President. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/15 "2003-04-18T12:44:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by reiayanami \* > \*\*Our tax dollars paid for this process, as well as paying someone to implement it. \*\* Oh, please. How much does it cost to have people only raise the flags half way up the pole than all the way up the pole? It actually _saves_ money, since the guy whose job it is to raise the flags each morning has a few seconds’ less work to do. FTR, I was a bellman at the Holiday Inn at the time, and my job was to raise the flags each morning. I dutifully raised them to half-staff, over my boss’s objections, every morning for the whole 30-day period. ---
**Author:** ![Mandarax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Mandarax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandarax)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/16 "2003-04-18T12:54:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HeyHomie \* > **Oh, please. How much does it cost to have people only raise the flags half way up the pole than all the way up the pole? It actually _saves_ money, since the guy whose job it is to raise the flags each morning has a few seconds’ less work to do.** [Nope.](http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/4/chapters/1/sections/section_7.html) > [@](#): > > The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-nixon-honored-with-us-flags-at-half-mast-when-he-died-he-was-a-crook/169515/17 "2003-04-18T13:56:58Z")
What little factual content which existed in the OP has been answered.