Resignation Address to the Nation: An Analysis
There is something significant in the words of a man shamed out of status. The way that he chooses those last public statements and how he delivers them suddenly become more important than anything he’s ever said in his life. Every nuance and inflection can make or break the last shred of character holding the thin fabric of dignity together. In the early 1970’s America was rocked with a scandal the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Andrew Jackson was impeached more than a century previous. A second term president who opened trade to China, ended the longest war in American history and was the nation’s frontrunner when the late Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon became a criminal in the eyes of the people he was sworn to protect and lead. Richard Millhouse Nixon sat down in front of the nation one last time on August 8, 1974 to deliver his final speech as Commander in Chief. His words were carefully chosen and reverently delivered as he announced to the nation that he was stepping down. The “why” is no secret to the American people and the “how” enters the fore front of everyone’s minds. Richard Nixon uses his last words as PotUS to deliver a thoughtful appeal and apology to the nation using the last credentials of his term, the reverence and humility of a shamed man and a plea of direction for the new administration to forge ahead upon.
In current generations Richard Nixon’s image has been reduced to a single thought. “I am not a crook” ironically spouted from the mouth of a man later found guilty of multiple crimes that came to be known as Watergate. There are so few people now that remember Nixon for the positive first term momentous national victories he achieved or for his dedication to the American people. His final speech in office was an emotional appeal to the people to retrieve some of his dignity and to quell the sourness left by his crimes. Nixon’s pathos becomes a crutch for him in this final speech. In listening to the vocal reading of the speech there is heaviness to his words as he reflects upon this solemnly, “I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved.” He continues, “I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require.” He felt his work wasn’t completed but because of his actions he had to leave it in the hands of someone else. He uses emotion to express his hope that nuclear weapons will be destroyed, peace will come to the Middle East and “prosperity without inflation” will be the mindset of the economy and in such a serious moment there is no way to express his agenda without appearing to the public as pompous and uncaring of his status in the nation. The American people he’s addressing via a national TV broadcast enables a rich expression of this emotion and gives him a chance to sincerely lay before the people that he’s in charge of for a few more hours his personal plan and apology to his audience.
In a situation such as the shame and criminal charges he’s facing there becomes a tough question of credibility. How would an audience be able to trust someone who betrayed and lied to them so recently? Aristotle doesn’t give much direction to the appeal of Ethos when the former rich credibility of a speaker is now tainted and wavering. Nixon lists his former achievements in an attempt to reestablish the credibility prior to the public falling out. Watergate notwithstanding, there were achievements that would have held Nixon among the better, more accomplished presidents. He lends a hand in his achievements to the audience he’s addressing as well stating “We have ended America's longest war.” And “We have unlocked the doors that for a quarter of a century stood between the United States and the People's Republic of China.” In using the collective “we” rather than singularly attributing his accomplishments to himself he shares the credibility and gives weight to the audience in actively choosing how to receive the message and who to give responsibility of the situation to.
“When I first took the oath of office as President five and a half years ago, I made this sacred commitment: to consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can summon to the cause of peace among nations. I've done my very best in all the days since to be true to that pledge.” Nixon waits till the near end of his words to appeal to reason among his audience. “This, more than anything, is what I hope will be my legacy to you, to our country, as I leave the Presidency.” A broken man offers his final rationalized appeal to logos and to the individuality of the American spirit. The American dream and its charm are a powerful thing to win over an audience in your favor. Nixon’s words are light with reason and logic as his situation is beyond repair and this last effort is to salvage the positive moments of his office and preserve his dignity as a human being.
Richard Millhouse Nixon contemplated each and every solemn word spoken on August 8, 1974 with fervor and delivered them with a quiet aptitude of reverence. His final attempt at kinship with the American people had an agenda and nearly 40 years later there is a question on whether these last words spoken in office accomplished their goal. In retrospect there is little achievement to his final goals outlined in his speech. The US military has more nuclear weapons than ever before, always ready for the verge of war. The Middle East is at war constantly with no ideal, peaceful end in sight. The trade route with China is still open but national debt and the resources owed number in the billions. Is this all to blame on a single man who withheld information and profited from public service? A realist would make the argument that such international turmoil was inevitable and unavoidable. However, the mere words delivered by Nixon carried little demonstrative weight to the motivation of achieving his final hopes and goals. It wasn’t for lack of sentiment, his words were drowning in the colossal guilt he had at losing office, but rather for the lack of credibility he now wore in spite of his previous accomplishments. His relationship with the American people was forever tainted. Even when he was pardoned of his crimes by President Ford a few years later his poisoned reputation lingered and his goals as a leader had crumbled under the media persona of criminal. Richard Nixon’s final assertions as the President could never have lasting power, no matter the obvious beneficial qualities and importance they presented, because his credentials had been irreparably tarnished.
WORKS CITED
Nixon, Richard. "American Rhetoric: Richard M. Nixon - Resignation Speech." American Rhetoric: Richard M. Nixon - Resignation Speech. N.p., 8 Aug. 1974. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/richardnixonresignationspeech.html>.
Cohen, Evan. "The Watergate Scandal." Scribd. Fb-1141801662, 5 Mar. 2004. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/95840/The-Watergate-Scandal>.
Kelly, Martin. "Richard Nixon Fast Facts." About.com American History. About.com, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://americanhistory.about.com/od/richardnixon/a/ff_r_nixon.htm>.
Kilpatrick, Carroll. "Nixon Tells Editors, 'I'm Not a Crook'" Editorial. Washington Post 18 Nov. 1973, Sunday ed., A01 sec.: n. pag. WashingtonPost.com. Washington Post. Web. 8 Sept. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/111873-1.htm>.
In current generations Richard Nixon’s image has been reduced to a single thought. “I am not a crook” ironically spouted from the mouth of a man later found guilty of multiple crimes that came to be known as Watergate. There are so few people now that remember Nixon for the positive first term momentous national victories he achieved or for his dedication to the American people. His final speech in office was an emotional appeal to the people to retrieve some of his dignity and to quell the sourness left by his crimes. Nixon’s pathos becomes a crutch for him in this final speech. In listening to the vocal reading of the speech there is heaviness to his words as he reflects upon this solemnly, “I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved.” He continues, “I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require.” He felt his work wasn’t completed but because of his actions he had to leave it in the hands of someone else. He uses emotion to express his hope that nuclear weapons will be destroyed, peace will come to the Middle East and “prosperity without inflation” will be the mindset of the economy and in such a serious moment there is no way to express his agenda without appearing to the public as pompous and uncaring of his status in the nation. The American people he’s addressing via a national TV broadcast enables a rich expression of this emotion and gives him a chance to sincerely lay before the people that he’s in charge of for a few more hours his personal plan and apology to his audience.
In a situation such as the shame and criminal charges he’s facing there becomes a tough question of credibility. How would an audience be able to trust someone who betrayed and lied to them so recently? Aristotle doesn’t give much direction to the appeal of Ethos when the former rich credibility of a speaker is now tainted and wavering. Nixon lists his former achievements in an attempt to reestablish the credibility prior to the public falling out. Watergate notwithstanding, there were achievements that would have held Nixon among the better, more accomplished presidents. He lends a hand in his achievements to the audience he’s addressing as well stating “We have ended America's longest war.” And “We have unlocked the doors that for a quarter of a century stood between the United States and the People's Republic of China.” In using the collective “we” rather than singularly attributing his accomplishments to himself he shares the credibility and gives weight to the audience in actively choosing how to receive the message and who to give responsibility of the situation to.
“When I first took the oath of office as President five and a half years ago, I made this sacred commitment: to consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can summon to the cause of peace among nations. I've done my very best in all the days since to be true to that pledge.” Nixon waits till the near end of his words to appeal to reason among his audience. “This, more than anything, is what I hope will be my legacy to you, to our country, as I leave the Presidency.” A broken man offers his final rationalized appeal to logos and to the individuality of the American spirit. The American dream and its charm are a powerful thing to win over an audience in your favor. Nixon’s words are light with reason and logic as his situation is beyond repair and this last effort is to salvage the positive moments of his office and preserve his dignity as a human being.
Richard Millhouse Nixon contemplated each and every solemn word spoken on August 8, 1974 with fervor and delivered them with a quiet aptitude of reverence. His final attempt at kinship with the American people had an agenda and nearly 40 years later there is a question on whether these last words spoken in office accomplished their goal. In retrospect there is little achievement to his final goals outlined in his speech. The US military has more nuclear weapons than ever before, always ready for the verge of war. The Middle East is at war constantly with no ideal, peaceful end in sight. The trade route with China is still open but national debt and the resources owed number in the billions. Is this all to blame on a single man who withheld information and profited from public service? A realist would make the argument that such international turmoil was inevitable and unavoidable. However, the mere words delivered by Nixon carried little demonstrative weight to the motivation of achieving his final hopes and goals. It wasn’t for lack of sentiment, his words were drowning in the colossal guilt he had at losing office, but rather for the lack of credibility he now wore in spite of his previous accomplishments. His relationship with the American people was forever tainted. Even when he was pardoned of his crimes by President Ford a few years later his poisoned reputation lingered and his goals as a leader had crumbled under the media persona of criminal. Richard Nixon’s final assertions as the President could never have lasting power, no matter the obvious beneficial qualities and importance they presented, because his credentials had been irreparably tarnished.
WORKS CITED
Nixon, Richard. "American Rhetoric: Richard M. Nixon - Resignation Speech." American Rhetoric: Richard M. Nixon - Resignation Speech. N.p., 8 Aug. 1974. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/richardnixonresignationspeech.html>.
Cohen, Evan. "The Watergate Scandal." Scribd. Fb-1141801662, 5 Mar. 2004. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/95840/The-Watergate-Scandal>.
Kelly, Martin. "Richard Nixon Fast Facts." About.com American History. About.com, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2012. <http://americanhistory.about.com/od/richardnixon/a/ff_r_nixon.htm>.
Kilpatrick, Carroll. "Nixon Tells Editors, 'I'm Not a Crook'" Editorial. Washington Post 18 Nov. 1973, Sunday ed., A01 sec.: n. pag. WashingtonPost.com. Washington Post. Web. 8 Sept. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/111873-1.htm>.