of the district of columbia and killed. and on top of that the abortion act. while you are talking out is i want to commit murder with this child. that is what you are saying. if you think it is ok to commit murder, you all go ahead and have a blessed day. host: comment? guest: on the ashli babbitt thing, he has said that a lot and it was true that she was shot at the u.s. capitol. but yesterday during his press conference he said that nobody was killed on january 6. and not mention ashli babbitt. so obviously that was false just with the ashli babbitt death alone. so, that is my last comment. host: shelby talcott, you can find her work host: we are joined by john farrell, author of “richard

nixon: the life." what is the significance of president nixon's resignation 50 years later? guest: i think he is with us always or at least will be because he was the only president to resign in disgrace. but also because his life was so operatic or shakespearean. he came from nowhere, he had a meteoric rise to vice president, lost to john f. kennedy, made the greatest political comeback, claimed the white house again and then was brought down by his own flaws. it is an irresistible story, along with the way that he was a polarizing figure, so half the country hated him, have loved him. each portion of the country -- a huge portion of the country loved him right up until the

end, so as long as a couple of generations are around, he will be a magnetic figure. host: what was president nixon doing 50 years ago this morning? guest: he varied from his usual routine. usually eight a very simple breakfast of skim milk, cereal or yogurt from his favorite famous southern california dairy. he was down in the kitchen this instance and there was a meeting from his steward and he said let's have corn beef hash and eggs, so they whipped him up corn beef hash and eggs, which she later said was probably too heavy for the events of the day he had to face, but he did have that little flare. when lunch came, it was back to his pineapple and cottage cheese , but he did have that little

deviation of the norm for breakfast. host: let's hear how he announced his resignation from office, the day before, august 8. [video clip] >> prefer to carry through to the finish, whatever the personal agony would have been involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. but the interest of the nation must always come before any personal considerations, from the discussions i've had with congressional leaders, i have concluded that because of the watergate matter, i might not have the support of congress that i would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interest of the nation would require. i have never been a quitter. to leave office before my term is completed is a warrant to

every instinct in my body. but as president, i must put the interests of america first. america needs a full-time president and a full-time congress, particularly at this time, with problems we face at home and abroad. to continue the fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication, with almost -- would almost totally absorbed the time and attention of both the president and the congress. in a time when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home. therefore, i shall resign the presidency, effective at noon tomorrow. vice president ford will be sworn in as president at that

hour in this office. [end video clip] host: john farrell, you would have been a very young man. what was your reaction? guest: i was here in washington, d.c., and the atmosphere that night and that afternoon before he announced when word got out that he would make the speech, was giddy. people were driving around the white house in caravans honking horns. there was a great celebration, and in contrast to the next morning, when it was 50 years ago today, it was a typical, swampy august morning, misty day, and it was much more solemn and one of the great moments in american history was his speech to his staff. host: why giddy? guest: i think because of

vietnam, vietnam, vietnam. his chief of staff said if you examine the nixon presidency, your first thought has to be that every single moment of every day, every decision was somehow related to vietnam. vietnam tour the country apart, ripped it apart, and i think we are still enduring living through repercussions from vietnam today. host: we are going to be talking about richard nixon's resignation that happened 50 years ago until the end of the program. you can give us a call if you would like to make a comment, if you are old enough to remember it. call us and share the memories with us. the lines original. if you are in the eastern or central time zones, call us on (202)-748-8000. mountain or pacific, (202)-748-8001. i would like to read to you a

quote from your book,nd it says, "the final house had more than their share of shakespearean scenes. nixon was choking back sobs and rushing from the room afte telling a group of his old friends from congress, 'ho you will not feel like let you d'but no scene an astonishing spectacle was more memorable than nixon'fair will talk to the white house staff friday morning. the actor met the moment. it may well have been the most raw and clearly painful and unforgettable speech in american political history." what do you mean by that? guest: richard nixon was personally a very awkward person and did not have great personal relationships, aside from a few friends and family. and the way he got along that way, going back to whittier high school and college in southern california, was to be an actor.