Richard Nixon, one of five US presidents for whom Arthur Burns acted as advisor, expressed his high opinion of him in these words: “Shortly after he joined my cabinet in 1969, he demonstrated why I was right in selecting him as my first White House Counselor. At our first meeting in the Oval Office, he explained his role.
He said: “Mr President, most advisors tell a president what he wants to hear. I believe it is the responsibility of an advisor to tell you what you need to hear.” He never failed to meet this standard.” The ability always to say and do what he thought essential likewise characterised his term of office as Central Bank Governor.