Nixon

http://watergate.info/nixon/checkers-speech.shtml

Nixon's "Checkers" speech is one speech that has always moved me. I was required to read it last year for english, but it meant so much more to me than just an assignment. Nixon appealed to people by relating to them. In case you do not know, this speech was when Nixon was to be impeached for stealing money from the government, but was declaring his defense. Through his defense he did not call out or make the audience liars, just proved himself worthy by audits proving his expenditures and by sharing his entire financial record to the country. Aristotle says that in order to express character that "It must be good. Now any speech or action that manifests moral purpose ... will be expressive as character" (5). By declaring his own debt to the nation, Nixon was relating with people, which is moral purpose. It is also said by Aristotle that consistency is key. By defending himself against the nation and selling out the people whom blamed him, he proved to be "consistently inconsistent" (5). Now my main point: At the end of the speech, Nixon reads aloud a letter from a 19 year old woman living on her own with her baby her husband was serving in the war. She sent 10 dollars to him to help with his campaign, and that she had all the faith in him. By reading this aloud, he brought attention to the audience what truly mattered to the country, the troops fighting in the war and how he will help keep the U.S. focused on the correct affairs. By doing this, the nation went all in support for him with over a million people calling his office to tell him to keep campaigning. I believe this entire speech with this ending is an example of Aristotle's expression of "Thought." "Thought, on the other hand, is found where something is proved to be or not to be" (3). Nixon proved himself not guilty as well as worthy to be the next president of the United States.