All Reputable Historians Rate Trump An Even Worse President Than Nixon— Their Enemies Lists Compared

Would It Have Been Moral To Shoot Hitler In 1930?

I was the chairman of the Student Activities Board when I was in college. We had every great musician of the era except Dylan, The Stones and The Beatles. I tried but we had to settle for Jimi Hendrix, The Who, The Dead, The Airplane, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Otis Redding, Big Brother… Still, I failed to get The Beatles. I was on drugs and more of a Stones fan at the time anyway. But John Lennon… he was the most wondrous of my generation, and definitely one of the greatest poets, songwriters and musicians of the 20th century, right? He and Paul McCartney co-wrote timeless hits everyone can still sing... and some of his own songs like “Imagine,” “Happiness Is Warm Gun,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “Working Class Hero,” “In My Life,” “Jealous Guy,” “Instant Karma,” “Give Peace A Chance,” “Gimme Some Truth,” and “Revolution” are among the most important and influential pop songs ever recorded. No one would deny that he helped revolutionize pop music and his solo songs often contained powerful social and political messages, reflecting his advocacy for peace and human rights. Even more than the other Beatles, John was a symbol of the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s, advocating for peace, love and social change. And he had the right enemy: Richard Nixon. In fact, he was one of the best-known names on Nixon’s infamous “enemies list.”

Sure, click on Nixon's nose

Lennon was outspoken in his opposition to the Vietnam War and his involvement in the anti-war movement was looked at as a real threat by Nixon and his henchmen who feared he might influence teh outcome of teh 1972 presidential election. J. Edgar Hoover’s fascistic FBI, closely monitored Lennon’s activities, including wiretaps, trackers and, literally, spies trying to infiltrate his inner circle. Nixon began deportation proceedings based on the pretext of a 1968 conviction in the UK for marijuana possession. In March 1972, the Immigration and Naturalization Service began a long legal battle that lasted several years and involved multiple court hearings, causing significant stress for Lennon and Yoko. He used his celebrity status to fight back, by bringing attention to his plight while advocating for peace and justice, driving Nixon insane. Worse yet, in the end (1975) he won when the US Court of Appeals ruled in his favor, granting him permanent residency, calling Nixon out for deportation efforts that were politically motivated, helping make the general public aware that Nixon perverted governmental power to silence voices he disagreed with or found threatening to his political agenda.

Those on Nixon's enemies list were just on there for a fantasy; they were meant to be harmed— and they were. Nixon worked to get CBS News to fire journalist Daniel Schorr, who was also harassed and the subject of hoover surveillance. Paul Newman, one of the world’s best known actors, was targeted by the IRS in retaliation for his opposition to Nixon’s policies. Former National Security Council staffer Morton Halperin was a victim of a break-in orchestrated by Nixon’s operatives seeking damaging information and civil-rights attorney Arthur Kinoy had to spend his time fighting off Nixon’s attempts to have him disbarred. Others’ on the list included left-of-center pro-peace congressmen Allard Lowenstein (D-NY), John Conyers (D-MI) and Ron Dellums (D-CA), all of whom had their careers damaged. Others on the list and targeted for retribution included labor leaders Alex Barkan (AFL-CIO), Leonard Woodcock (UAW) and Samuel Lambert (NEA), journalists Mary McGrory and Ed Guthman, as well as contributors to Democratic politicians and… dozens and dozens of others.

Harassment and intimidation were at the heart of Nixon's enemies list which symbolized Nixon's paranoid and authoritarian tendencies and was meant to have a chilling effect on political dissent, part of the broader pattern of abuse of power that characterized his presidency. And it brings us to the Nixon-on-steroids candidate the GOP is offering up today.

Yesterday New York Magazine published a column by Chas Danner, Who Is on Donald Trump’s Revenge List? that should— but probably won’t— make people turn in horror from the Trump candidacy. It supposes an even broader, more aggressive approach than Nixon’s and includes a wide range of individuals and groups, from political figures like Biden and his family to judicial figures like Alvin Bragg and Juan Merchan, to journalists and media organizations, and even nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Trump's rhetoric and plans suggest a systematic effort to weaponize the presidency and the Department of Justice to retaliate against those he perceives as enemies. Nixon's list was extensive but more personal and politically focused, targeting individuals who directly challenged him or his policies. Trump's list— at least as envisioned by Danner-- targets entire groups (e.g., the media, nonprofit organizations, government employees) and predicts a more comprehensive purge of opposition across whole sectors of society, more Stalinist and Hitlerian than what Nixon was secretly envisioning. And Trump hasn’t be secret at all, but quite vocal about his malevolent intentions, publicly declaring his desire for retribution and making it a central theme of his campaign. That openness is seen as a tactic to rally his base but it also reveals his brazen disregard for democratic norms and the rule of law. His approach towards weaponizing institutional power is more aggressive and systemic than Nixon’s.

Danner wrote that one of the central themes of Señor T’s campaign ”has been the desire for vengeance” against those who he believes have done him wrong. ‘I am your retribution,’ has become a staple of his stump speech, and it’s not just rhetoric. While Trump and his allies have decried what they say is the weaponization of the justice system against him, they have also made it clear that if he regains the White House, they absolutely plan to use the presidency and the Department of Justice to retaliate against their enemies— and it won’t just be Joe Biden.”

Others on Danner’s list include Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, New York Judge Juan Merchan, New York Attorney General Leticia James, New York Judge Arthur Engoron, Special Counsel Jack Smith “and anyone involved in the federal Trump investigations/indictments,” Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI director Christopher Wray, Members of the House January 6 Select Committee, journalists and media organizations, particularly NBC News, MSNBC and Comcast, nonprofits and charities that support migrants, retired Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, employees at the National Archives and… Facebook ceo Mark Zuckerberg.

Look, Nixon's actions were a gross abuse of power, undermining trust in the presidency and leading to his forced resignation and disgrace. Trump's stated plans indicate a potential for even greater damage, as they involve not just personal vendettas but a restructuring of the political landscape to eliminate opposition and dissent comprehensively. In essence, while Nixon's enemies list was a dark chapter in American political history, Trump's revenge list, as outlined in the article, represents an escalation in both scale and boldness, posing an existential threat to democratic governance and the principles of justice and equality under the law. The way I see it, the comparison underscores the dangers of authoritarianism inherent in Trump’s attempt to get back into the White House. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of unlimited presidential immunity next week, Biden should— within half an hour— do America the biggest possible favor and load Trump on a helicopter for a one-way trip to the ocean beyond New Smyrna Beach (Volusia County) in his adopted home state.

Yes, of course-- click this one too