Nixon Facts

Richard Nixon was so skilled at poker that his winnings from the Navy—between $6,000 and $8,000—funded roughly 20% of his first congressional campaign in 1946, an unusually high personal contribution that helped launch his political career.

The senator had shut down every witness all morning. Fred Rogers had 6 minutes to save $20 million in PBS funding. No charts. No statistics. No prepared speech. He sat down and read a children's song about managing anger to a room full of politicians who wanted to go home. The senator went quiet. Then he said: "Looks like you just earned the $20 million."