I'm a bit hazy on why was Nixon a bad president?

Watergate was bad, of course. Probably, really quite bad, in a way. I guess there was a certain lack of respect for the law and so on there. But then again, as far as I know he wasn't planning to suspend the constitution and make himself dictator for life? I'm not suggesting that presidents should positively be allowed to act illegally to get re-elected, but, hey, compared to Bush?

I think I prefer evil to dumb.

But in terms of what Nixon actually did for America, was he that bad? I'm afraid the only thing I know about him is he was in the saddle when you got out of Vietnam, and of course the trip to China. Neither of those seem bad things. I gather there are two views on detente now, but at the time I can't see that you could have said it was a bad thing either.

Can anyone help? What were his domestic policies like?