Category Archives: U.S. Presidents

President John F. Kennedy denounces Soviet arrest of U.S. professor in what would turn out to be his 64th and last press conference 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1963)

1960s, Cold War, Television 1960s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President John F. Kennedy's 64th News Conference, November 14, 1963'

(Thursday, November 14, 1963, 11:00-11:30 a.m. EST; during the Cold War) — U.S. President John F. Kennedy asserted forcefully today that Yale Prof. Frederick C. Barghoorn was “innocent of any intelligence mission” in the Soviet Union and demanded his prompt release. Continue reading President John F. Kennedy denounces Soviet arrest of U.S. professor in what would turn out to be his 64th and last press conference 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 14 1963) →

U.S. President Richard Nixon lashes out at Watergate news coverage 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 26 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents, Watergate


Video: 'SYND 26-10-73 NIXON HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON ON WATERGATE SCANDAL'

(Friday, October 26, 1973, 7:01 p.m. EDT; during the Watergate scandal) — U.S. President Richard Nixon, under siege by recent events of the Watergate scandal and the just-ended Yom Kippur War, declared tonight during a news conference that he doesn’t let “frantic, hysterical reporting” by the news media get under his skin because “one can only be angry about those he respects.” Continue reading U.S. President Richard Nixon lashes out at Watergate news coverage 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 26 1973) →

U.S. President Richard Nixon agrees to surrender tapes, documents after House threatens to impeach him 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 23 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents, Watergate


Video: 'This day in history: Oct. 23, 1973'

(Tuesday, October 23, 1973; during the Watergate scandal) — U.S. President Richard Nixon capitulated today and agreed to surrender Watergate-related tapes and documents to a federal judge. Continue reading U.S. President Richard Nixon agrees to surrender tapes, documents after House threatens to impeach him 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 23 1973) →

U.S. President Richard Nixon fires special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox in ‘Saturday Night Massacre’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 20 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents, Watergate


Video: 'Our World Fall 1973 Part 3' ('Saturday Night Massacre' at 5:13)

(Saturday, October 20, 1973, approximately 8:00 p.m. EDT with the decision announced at 8:25 p.m. EDT; during the Watergate scandal) — What became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre” took place tonight as U.S. President Richard Nixon forced U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to resign after both refused to fire special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. Continue reading U.S. President Richard Nixon fires special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox in ‘Saturday Night Massacre’ 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 20 1973) →

Former VP Spiro Agnew says he quit to aid Nixon in restoring trust 50 years ago this hour (Oct 15 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'SYND 16/10/73 SPIRO AGNEW EXPLAINS HIS RESIGNATION'

(Monday, October 15, 1973, 7:30 p.m. EDT) — Former U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew declared tonight that he had resigned five days ago and pleaded no contest to criminal charges of tax evasion (he was fined $10,000 and put on three years’ probation) solely to permit President Richard Nixon, embattled by the unrelated Watergate scandal, to restore “unimpaired confidence and implicit trust” in that high office. Continue reading Former VP Spiro Agnew says he quit to aid Nixon in restoring trust 50 years ago this hour (Oct 15 1973) →

U.S. President Richard Nixon nominates House Minority Leader Gerald Ford to succeed Spiro Agnew as vice president 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 12 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Nixon Nominates Gerald R. Ford as VP'

(Friday, October 12, 1973, 9:04 p.m. EDT) — Urging Americans to look to the future, U.S. President Richard Nixon tonight nominated U.S. Representative Gerald Ford, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, to succeed Spiro Agnew as vice president of the United States. Continue reading U.S. President Richard Nixon nominates House Minority Leader Gerald Ford to succeed Spiro Agnew as vice president 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 12 1973) →

U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns and pleads no contest to criminal tax evasion charges 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 10 1973)

1970s, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'KFMB-8 KNBC-4 (Oct 10,1973) Vice President "SPIRO AGNEW RESIGNS" News..'

(Wednesday, October 10, 1973, 2:05 p.m. EDT) — U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned abruptly from office this afternoon and then, in federal court in Baltimore, pled no contest to criminal charges of tax evasion, part of a negotiated resolution to a scheme wherein he was accused of accepting more than $100,000 in bribes during his tenure as governor of Maryland. Continue reading U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns and pleads no contest to criminal tax evasion charges 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 10 1973) →

U.S. President Kennedy signs ratification of treaty banning all but underground nuclear tests 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 7 1963)

Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President Kennedy Signs Test Ban Treaty (1963)'

(Monday, October 7, 1963, 10:00 a.m. EDT; during the Cold War) — U.S. President John F. Kennedy formally ratified the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) today, calling it “a clear and honorable national commitment” to the cause of man’s survival. Continue reading U.S. President Kennedy signs ratification of treaty banning all but underground nuclear tests 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 7 1963) →

Earl Warren sworn-in as 14th Chief Justice of the United States 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 1953)

1950s, U.S. Presidents


Video: '1953 Chief Justice: Governor Earl Warren Named To U.S. Highest Court'

(Monday, October 5, 1953, noon EST) — Former California Governor Earl Warren was sworn in today as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States; he would preside over a major shift in American constitutional jurisprudence, which has been recognized by many as a “Constitutional Revolution” in the liberal direction. Continue reading Earl Warren sworn-in as 14th Chief Justice of the United States 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 5 1953) →

President John F. Kennedy breaks ground for nuclear reactor at Hanford Site near Richland, Washington 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 26 1963)

1960s, Cold War, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'Kennedy at Hanford, 1963'

(Thursday, September 26, 1963, JFK began speaking at 3:26 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time; during the Cold War) — President John F. Kennedy waved a magic wand over a boiling plateau of dust today at the Hanford Site in eastern Washington state as he presided over the groundbreaking of a nuclear reactor that would generate commercial and residential electricity while creating plutonium for use in nuclear weapons. Continue reading President John F. Kennedy breaks ground for nuclear reactor at Hanford Site near Richland, Washington 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 26 1963) →