Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

I chose this speech for its significance in history, as well as its influence on Nixon’s political standing at the time. He was a very powerful public speaker, as well as running mate and Vice President for Dwight Eisenhower. Nixon makes very powerful points though out his entire speech to show that he is in the right, and the charges against him and his party are being wrongfully made. Nixon’s greatest quality as a public speaker is his ability to sway the crowd with his charisma, and sincerity. His speech reached the people, and made them listen. It makes you believe what he says because of the way he presents it and it does its job. The speech is a persuasive one to make the population see the charges in a new way and understand what the money in question was used for. He gives them information to change their opinions on the matter which is exactly what a persuasive speech is designed to do.
Nixon begins his speech by stating that he will not lie, or deny the charge brought against him without going into specific detail. He states that he will be honest and tell only facts to the public to clear his name and get his side of the story out. He plans to explain why he did not illegally spend any wrongfully gained funding from his supporters.
He begins his defense with the simple statement that the charge is wrong. He didn’t do anything illegal or morally wrong. Nixon states that had the money gone to his own personal expenses, if it was a secret, or if he did anything for the contributors it would have been wrong. However, none of those things occurred, so it wasn’t wrong.
Nixon’s first point is that “not one cent” of the funding went to his personal use. All of it was used for political expenses (History.com). He brings up that he mentioned the fund in public to any who asked him about it, so it wasn’t a secret at all. He then makes a final point, that the contributors had received no special treatment or favors for their...