If Nixon Stayed

President Nixon had a sweeping plan to overhaul the federal government by streamlining departments, cutting bureaucracy, and centralizing power. But Watergate brought those ambitions to a halt. In this episode, we imagine a world where Nixon implemented his bold executive reorganization, reshaping how Washington functions to this day. Could a "Super Cabinet" have redefined American governance?

Though best known for foreign policy, Nixon’s domestic agenda was just as ambitious, and surprisingly progressive. From universal basic income to national healthcare, this episode explores the transformative policies that never came to pass. If Nixon had served two full terms, America’s social safety net, energy infrastructure, and healthcare system might look very different. We ask: what if the “...

August 8th, 1974 marked the end of Richard Nixon’s presidency, but what if it didn’t? In this series premiere, we revisit the emotional final hours of Nixon’s administration and imagine what might’ve happened if he had fought to stay in office. Featuring archival audio and expert interviews, the episode blends history and fiction to ask: how different would America be if Watergate never happened?...

What if President Nixon had seen the Vietnam War through to the end? This episode rewrites the chaotic fall of Saigon into a scenario where Nixon remained in power and recommitted U.S. support to South Vietnam. Through imagined speeches, press conferences, and alternate news reports, we hear how Nixon might have altered the course of history in Southeast Asia. It's a world where the Paris Peace Ac...

The fall of the Shah in 1979 ushered in a new era of global unrest, but what if it never happened? In this episode, we explore how Nixon’s close relationship with Iran's monarchy might have preserved stability in the region and prevented decades of hostility. From the revolution to the Iraq War, we trace the cascading consequences of Nixon’s absence. Could a stable U.S.–Iran alliance have reshaped...

Hear the first 2 minutes of the show, ahead of the series launch on April 10.

What if August 8, 1974 was just another hot, humid DC summer day? What if Watergate wasn’t a word synonymous with scandal? What if Nixon stayed? Coming April 10th, If Nixon Stayed reimagines the course of history. Using newly-released archival materials, expert interviews and historical analysis, this podcast takes a deep-dive to explore what could have been if President Nixon continued the succes...