Nixon tried to ease domestic unrest over Vietnam by greatly reducing U.S. ground forces, down from over half-a-million when he took office in 1969 to only 69,000 by the end of 1972. But he also wanted to win the war, so he countered the troop reduction with a massive increase in bombings and other clandestine and special operations. Thus, while fewer Americans were now dying in Vietnam, the bombings, assassination programs, etc. only highlighted the barbarity of American violence on a relatively tiny nation that had committed the “crime” of fighting off French colonial rule to achieve independence and establishing a leftist government.
So despite the lessening of the draft during Nixon’s tenure, student protests only increased. As the “Law and Order” president he was displeased. In May of 1970, he called student protestors “bums.”
Two days later, 4 students on the campus of Kent State University were murdered by the Ohio State National Guard. On May 15, Mississippi police murdered another 2 students at Jackson State University in Mississippi.
By 1971, there were few campuses where Nixon could go without facing massive demonstrations. He had to pick carefully. He and his advisors decided the best option for him was the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. A couple of factors, they believed, would allow Nixon to receive a warm reception and good visibility.
For starters, Nebraska was a solidly Republican state; Nixon had won it handily in 1968, scoring nearly 60% of the popular vote. And as partisanship gripped the country during his presidency even more so than it has during Trump’s (if you can believe it), his numbers there only went up. He would grab over 70% of the Nebraska electorate in 1972.
UNL was also not a hotbed of student protest. There had been some anti-war protests, but they paled in comparison to the huge marches and sit-ins that temporarily shutdown other universities and colleges across the nation.
Plus, Nebraskans were in a celebratory mood. The school’s football team had recently won the Orange Bowl and claimed college football’s national championship. Nixon would be there in large part to celebrate with them.
Nixon’s visit to UNL on January 14, 1971 was largely uneventful. Nixon gave a speech. Coach Bob Devaney called Nixon’s visit, “the greatest honor ever bestowed on any team.” There were only two minor protests. When some students at the event began chanting “Peace Now!” they were quickly drowned out by applause for the president. Later, when Nixon walked across campus, a student threw a snowball at him (security protocols were a bit different back then). Nixon didn’t let it ruffle him; he made a snowball of his own and playfully lobbed it back.
Afterwards, Nixon was largely done visiting college campuses.
Donald Trump now finds himself in a similar situation. He needs to choose carefully. Where to show his orange mug in public?
Last week he was booed while he attending the World Series in Washington, D.C. Some fans even changed “Lock him up!”
D.C. is overwhelmingly Democratic, so perhaps it was to be expected. But getting booed by the the crowd at a mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship? Ouch.
Granted, the event was at New York’s Madison Square Garden and Manhattan is very liberal. But that crowd at UFC is hardly a bunch of upper west side liberals. The event draws heavily from white suburbia. The Bridge and Tunnel crowd. And almost entirely male. You know. The kind of people Trump needs to win in 2020.
And they booed him.
If these white, male suburbanite fans of a vicious blood-sport aren’t supporting Trump, then who is?
Only 38% of Americans according to a recent poll.
The mob has turned. He might be done.
