CREATE TABLE table_45724 ("Year" FLOAT, "Category" TEXT, "President" TEXT, "Nominee" TEXT, "Film" TEXT, "Result" TEXT)

What was the category of Richard Nixon as President in a year prior to 2009?
SELECT "Category" FROM table_45724 WHERE "President" = 'richard nixon' AND "Year" < '2009'
SELECT "Category" FROM "table_45724" WHERE "President" = 'richard nixon' AND "Year" < '2009'