Despite Watergate and extending the Vietnam war, he sign EPA and OSHA, and opened up trade with China. But I don't know how much that was his initiative. I don't know much about Nixon but want to learn more. What's a good resource to learn more?
This might be a good spot to start: http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/20iqrh/was_nixon_really_as_bad_a_guy_as_everyone_seems/