--- title: President Richard M. Nixon on Watergate Impeachment Resignation description: In 1990, the former President spoke to TIME about his past canonical: https://time.com/3079809/richard-nixon-on-watergate/ author: Lily Rothman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-08-08T11:00:05.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:57.491Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Richard M. Nixon on Watergate Impeachment Resignation og:description: In 1990, the former President spoke to TIME about his past og:url: https://time.com/3079809/richard-nixon-on-watergate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8cf850284282b3e7/69869e69cd68489b07095eef/nixon.jpeg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 400 og:image:height: 225 og:image:alt: 1990 Nixon Cover og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Richard M. Nixon on Watergate Impeachment Resignation twitter:description: In 1990, the former President spoke to TIME about his past twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8cf850284282b3e7/69869e69cd68489b07095eef/nixon.jpeg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's What Nixon Thought About His Resignation > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=b61cc1b9-f395-4ef2-9513-4ae0a82fd0ff&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch: The Rise and Fall of Richard Nixon in TIME Covers [Watch (HLS stream): Watch: The Rise and Fall of Richard Nixon in TIME Covers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/3GFNMs2U.m3u8) (2:58)  _Published 2014-08-06_  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Aug 8, 2014 11:00 AM UTC  William Coupon—TIME  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Aug 8, 2014 11:00 AM UTC Flip through [the gallery of Richard Nixon’s appearances on the cover of TIME](http://time.com/3080127/nixons-time-magazine-covers/), and you may notice a gap: the covers chart his political rise, his presidency, his work in China, his reelection, his fight during Watergate and, finally, 40 years ago this week, his resignation. Then there’s his pardon and, a few years later, his famous interview with David Frost, which was later inspiration for the play and film _Frost/Nixon_. Then there’s a gap. More than a decade goes by without any Nixon. The two times he appears after the ’70s are on the occasion of his death in 1994 and, in 1990, when TIME published an excerpt from his memoirs. In conjunction with that excerpt, the magazine also took the chance to ask him a few questions. In an interview that covers such diverse topics as the winding down of the Cold War and Nixon’s thoughts on Reagan (“we had different approaches”) and George H.W. Bush (“I ought to leave it in football terms—he’s the Joe Montana. The short, sure pass”), the only U.S. President ever to step down discussed his feelings about making that choice. There’s life after disgrace, he reminded readers: --- > “” --- [_Read the full interview in TIME’s archives_](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,969732-1,00.html) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] I come before you tonight as a candidate for the vice president. Return. [ MUSIC OVERLAPPING AUDIO ] >> Protect and defend the Constitution of the United States . >> Vice President Nixon has a brief farewell conference with Ike before leaving on his 11 day tour of the Soviet Union . >> Mr. Nixon, comment ? >> I at first disagree with Senator Kennedy in so far as his suggestion [ MUSIC ] [ INAUDIBLE ] to what should be done. I will faithfully execute the office Of President of the United States. Tonight I want to talk to you on a subject of deep concern to all America. The war in Vietnam. Tonight. I again proudly accept that nomination for president of the United States. [ APPLAUSE ] [ MUSIC ] God dammit I'm never going to discuss this son of a **** Watergate thing again. never never never. Cause people got to know whether or not their president's a crook. We'll I'm not a crook i've earned everything i've got. At the House of Representatives. Adopt articles calling for the impeachment of Richard M. Nixon. [ MUSIC ] Good evening. President Nixon reportedly will announce his resignation tonight, and Vice President Ford will become the nation's 38th President tomorrow. I have never been. A quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. I'm sorry. I just hope I haven't let you down. Well, then I said I just hope I haven't let you down. That said it all. I had. The 37th president of the United States is being laid to rest in Yorba Linda, California. 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