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Nixon's "Enemies List" usually refers to the names published in newspapers in 1973, even though there is only one short list that can confidently be called a White House enemies list without quotes (see intro to First List). Young White House Aide John W. Dean III used the term "enemies list" loosely in his testimony before Congress, giving an eager press license to use the term for any of the names that came out of the "Opponents List and Political Enemies Project."
In June 1974, Congress found no evidence that the IRS had been used to harass people on these lists. Nixon may have harassed people using the FBI and IRS, but not as a result of inclusion on these lists. In fact, Nixon apparently didn't even know about the "White House Enemies List" until the news broke. Thus, the "Enemies List" is more about bragging rights than political victimization.
A few thoughts on the late Tom Wicker
Wicker really earned his spot on the List; it wasn't simply because he wrote for the NY Times. His anti-Vietnam-War sentiment started under President Johnson, when he was a reporter. When Nixon arrived, he moved over to the Editorial Department and his opinions gushed forth, especially about the covert bombing of Cambodia. Later, before Nixon's death, Wicker actually praised Nixon for his successful domestic and foreign policies. Read more in his entry and maybe leave a comment.
In an odd juxtaposition, both Tom Wicker and John Dean III wrote essays on presidential power for a article titled "Executive Session" in the Winter 2005 Boston College Magazine.
Still, the notion of two "Enemies Lists" (one published in newspapers on June 28, 1973 and the second on December 21, 1973) is part of American culture now. Here are a few reasons the interest endures:
- History shows that there were some good reasons for opposition to Nixon (usually shown as support for Edmund Muskie, George McGovern, or even George Wallace);
- Nixon considered the list serious enough to apologize to four people on the first list (Mar. 23, 1974);
- Inclusion on the list is sometimes mentioned in obituaries as a source of pride;
- These people are a diverse, interesting group with a variety of reasons for opposing Nixon;
- Even in 2008, newly-released transcripts of Nixon's tapes showed that he really thought that "the press is the enemy; the establishment is the enemy; the professors are the enemy."
You can search all 823 surnames and organizations on the lists (at top right) or browse the lists in their original order (at left). If you're familiar (or family) with an "enemy," please add a note about the details of his/her opposition to Nixon. What was the reaction to inclusion on the lists? If the list was mentioned in their obituary, please copy-and-paste the text. Any detail to help identify the person is appreciated, such as birth and/or death dates. This is an informal web project, but could help researchers some day.
