would richard nixon be the best president if it weren't for the watergate scandal?
I doubt it. He did OK in some respects, but had many other problems besides Watergate!
http://www.google.com/search?q=richard+nixon&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGIE_en
Are you asking if He had not been caught would he be the "best" president ever?
Hmmm. If Charlie Manson had not been caught, would he be the greatest guru ever?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman
If Charlie Whitman had not been killed, would he have been the greatest Marine ever?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman
If during WWII, had Germany won, would Hitler be the greatest chancellor of Germany ever?
You can get answers from no, to yes on all these. One cannot separate lying, cheating, stealing, anti-social behaviour, killing, and the insatiable quest for personal power from history, and ask "what if", because it has no answer.
Richard Nixon went down because of his moral deficits, lying, cheating, and quest for absolute power. It was not because of a "scandal".
I cannot resist adding to Bob Pursley's excellent answer.
Nixon's "dirty tricks" squad, under the direction of his close friend and later convicted felon Atty. General John Mitchell, was involved in many other dubious activities besides Watergate, with Nixon's blessing. Just listen to the tapes of his oval office conversations if you want to know what kind of person Nixon was. On the other hand, his establishment of diplomatic relations with China, something that a Democratic president would have been afraid to do because of a fear of conservative public opinion, helped bring an end to the VietNam war and the cold war. He managed to choose a very fine successor to himself when he replaced his convicted corrupt vice president Agnew with Gerald Ford, who helped lead us out of the darkness.
Amen, DrWLS. Good details to include.
Determining whether Richard Nixon would have been the best president if it weren't for the Watergate scandal is subjective and depends on individual perspectives. As an AI, I don't have personal opinions or biases. However, I can provide you with information on how to evaluate Richard Nixon's presidency.
To assess a president's effectiveness, you can consider various factors such as their policy achievements, economic performance, leadership qualities, foreign relations, and overall impact on the nation. Here's a step-by-step approach to help you analyze Richard Nixon's presidency:
1. Research his policy achievements: Look into Nixon's domestic and foreign policies to assess their effectiveness and impact. Consider initiatives like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), or economic measures such as implementing price controls.
2. Evaluate economic performance: Examine economic indicators such as GDP growth, inflation, unemployment rates, and the state of the stock market during Nixon's presidency. Evaluate his economic policies, including wage and price controls and his approach to the global oil crisis.
3. Analyze leadership qualities: Assess Nixon's leadership skills, crisis management abilities, communication style, and decision-making processes. Consider his ability to navigate challenging situations or provide a vision for the nation.
4. Consider foreign relations: Evaluate Nixon's approach to international diplomacy and his impact on easing tensions during the Cold War. Analyze his interactions with international leaders, notable foreign policy initiatives, and efforts towards reconciliation with China and détente with the Soviet Union.
5. Assess long-term consequences: Consider the lasting impact of Nixon's policies and initiatives, both positive and negative, on subsequent administrations and American society as a whole.
Remember that evaluating a president's legacy is a complex task, and opinions may vary. Considering multiple perspectives will help you form a more comprehensive evaluation of Richard Nixon's presidency.