Richard Nixon: In A Bit Of A Shit Shocker!

"You see homosexuality, dope, immorality in general: These are the enemies of strong societies. That's why the communists and left-wingers are pushing this stuff. They are trying to destroy us"

An ugly but revealing audio recording of former president Richard Nixon, captured on his infamous Oval Office taping system, is making the rounds on social media today. In the recording, the president goes on an extended rant about the supposed dangers of homosexuality that sounds strikingly similar to -- although noticeably more tame than -- the tirades of today's anti-gay religious right leaders.
In the conversation, dated May 13, 1971, the president complains to advisors John Erlichman and Bob Haldeman that the CBS television show "All in the Family" presents homosexuality in a positive light, but also curiously refers to two of the male actors as "virile," "magnificent," and "handsome."
It only gets more bizarre and inflammatory from there -- for example, Nixon praises "strong societies" like Russia for "[rooting] out" homosexuality. (Hmmm, I wonder if President Nixon would support Russia's current efforts to do that by cracking down on so-called "gay propaganda?") He also touches on the Boy Scouts, ancient Greece, and the Catholic Church...

The Bilerico Project - the story contains "highlights" of the transcript and a link to a fun-packed audio.

PS Did Nixon have a gay lover? Mebbe...

• Chomsky on Watergate: "If we try to keep a sense of balance, the exposures of the past several months are analogous to the discovery that the directors of Murder, Inc. were also cheating on their income tax. Reprehensible, to be sure, but hardly the main point."