only Nixon could go to china

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is the idea that only a hardliner can take steps toward peace with a traditional enemy.

As a political metaphor, it refers to the ability of a politician with an unassailable reputation among his or her supporters for representing and defending their values to take actions that would draw their criticism and even opposition if taken by someone without those credentials. Although the example is that of a hardliner taking steps toward peace with a traditional enemy, and this is the most common application of the metaphor, it could also be applied to a reputedly cautious diplomat defying expectations by taking military action, or a political leader reforming aspects of the political system of which they have been strong supporters. . . . The phrase originated prior to Nixon's actual visit to China. An early use of the phrase is found in a December 1971 U.S. News & World Report interview with then-United States Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield, in a section summary lead that read ''Only a Nixon' Could Go to China'. The actual quote from Mansfield (which he prefaces by noting he had heard it said before) was 'Only a Republican, perhaps only a Nixon, could have made this break and gotten away with it.'[2]

Mike MansfieldThinkers

Mike Mansfield