Reading Goal: Find something besides an opinion piece
Writing goal: Have a good intro and background
During the 1952 election, former President Richard Nixon was running as Vice President of Dwight Eisenhower. He was accused by the Democrats of taking $18,000 from his campaign funds to use for his own personal lifestyle, something that was highly illegal. Although these accusations did seem to have some merit in them, and Eisenhower was about to drop Nixon as running mate, Nixon went on national television to address the issue. In his now infamous "Checkers Speech", Richard Nixon told the American people that he was not using his campaign funds illegally, and that if he had to return his gifts he would still never return a dog that he got from a supporter named Checkers. With his skillful appeal to pathos and his question-and-answer technique, Nixon successfully convinced the American people and the Republican Party that he was a credible candidate.
Nixon uses a powerful appeal to emotion , which becomes the basis of his speech. He starts off by stating the accusation from the other side and then says, "The usual political thing to do when charges are made against you is to either ignore them or to deny them without giving details.
I believe we’ve had enough of that in the United States, particularly with the present Administration in Washington, D.C." By doing this, Nixon not only makes himself seem like a moral and righteous man by speaking "frankly" with the American people (and therefore an appealing Vice President), but he also takes a jab at the Democratic Party by insinuating that the current administration is not being honest and open with the public. He also appeals to emotion at the very end of his speech with discussion of a cute little puppy that he got as a campaign present. This story of the a puppy and also his two young children and how much the family would be saddened to have to give up this "present" is a pathetic appeal. Naturally, the audience will be horrified to imagine tearing the puppy away from the crying girls, and immediately feel sympathetic towards Nixon and angry at the Democratic Party. However, when examined closely this "Checkers" argument falls apart as it really doesn't have much to do with the missing $18,000 in funds at all.
In addition to winning the hearts of the American people, Nixon wins over their minds as well with his clear question-and-answer format of his speech. He posses two questions, "Was it wrong?" and "Was it morally wrong?", and answers both as the audience would want him to answer very clearly. Nixon points out a difference between if something was wrong or morally wrong, saying that something is wrong if it's illegal but that stealing $18,000 is not just wrong but morally wrong and that, no, he would never do something like that. Nixon states, "And now to answer those questions let me say this:Not one cent of the $18,000 or any other money of that type ever went to me for my personal use. Every penny of it was used to pay for political expenses that I did not think should be charged to the taxpayers of the United States." His firm answer, whether or not it might actually be true, uses strong words like "no" and "never". This further convinced the public that he did not funnel $18,000 into his private lifestyle.
By appealing to the sentiments of the American public and firmly denying any accusations, Nixon was able to save his political career. Whether or not these accusations were true is still unknown; but now, an emotional speech by a politician is mockingly called a "Checkers Speech."
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