Salem to Salem: Richard Nixon

It's weird to think Salem to Salem is an unashamedly Pro-Richard-Nixon novel. Nixon, after all, did resemble the brutal Law-and-Order-take-them-out-to-the-woodshed authoritarian tendencies I absolutely detested at my old university. If I knew a girl student back there who resembled Charles Manson, the SU president (whom I based Billy Peddlarson, the actual Charles Manson figure) resembled Nixon more than he did Manson. If pushed into a corner, however, he would probably say he supported Manson's values more and give some BS about how, "in an oppressive society, Manson was necessary", so I think it was more appropriate to model the villain of the book on Manson rather than Tricky Dick.

Having Abigail be this Nixon-style authority figure (the town witch-hunter, awesome!) certainly opened her up to this pomposity which meant that -- much like the SU president -- she would be oblivious while she went about her duties to the world falling apart beneath her; and wouldn't pick up basic things, like people suspecting her of witchcraft, while she held her head high as an authority figure.