Disgraced in life, Nixon honored by Kissinger, Wilson, Schwarzenegger

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, ex- California governors Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger and family members of Richard Nixon – the only president to resign in disgrace – will be on hand when the remodeled library and museum in the 37th president’s name reopens Friday.

It’s not yet clear how the library will handle describing the Watergate scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation.

Other notables lined up to participate in the celebration of the remodeled Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum include Nixon’s grandchildren Christopher Cox and Melanie Eisenhower, and youngest brother, Ed Nixon, along with Rep. Ed Royce, R-Fullerton.

The USC Trojan Marching Band will perform and a World War II C-53 Skytrooper plane that was in the air on D-Day will do a flyover.

After the 11 a.m. opening ceremony, Kissinger will lead a conversation with Winston Lord, the U.S. ambassador to China from 1985 to 1989, and Fox News national security analyst KT McFarland during an invitation-only luncheon, which will be held in the library’s reproduction of the White House East Room.

Musical entertainment is planned throughout the day, including tributes to Elvis Presley, who met the president in the White House in 1970, and the Beatles.

On Saurday, the library will offer an “interactive session” with architects and designers discussing the “Marking of the New Nixon Library.” At noon that day, Nixon biographers Irwin Gellman, Luke A. Nichter, Douglas Schoen and Evan Thomas will discuss his legacy.

—City News Service