Nixon's evil genius, Chuck Colson, dead at 80

Nixon's evil genius, Chuck Colson, dead at 80

Among other things, "Chuckles" Colson was the author of the infamous "enemies list."

When the convicted felon was conveniently born again while facing arrest, there was skepticism, to say the least. The Boston Globe wrote, with tongue at least partially in cheek, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody."

William Buckley wrote, "Those among us who consider themselves most worldly — Pete Hamill, for instance; or the writers for the Village Voice—treat [Colson's conversion] as a huge joke, as if W. C. Fields had come out for the Temperance Union. They are waiting for the second act, when the resolution comes, and W. C. Fields is toasting his rediscovery of booze, and Colson is back practicing calisthenics on his grandmother's grave."

I remember another wag noting that when Colson converted to Christianity, he decided that he would no longer walk over his grandmother for Richard Nixon. Instead, he would walk over his grandmother for Jesus.