Richard Nixon Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Richard Nixon uses the appeals of logos in his speech that seem logical but all they do is mask the face of reality. In his speech Nixon states, “To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as president, I must put the interest of America first.” The harsh reality is, Nixon would’ve been impeached, so he decided to resign so he could exit his presidency and still have some pride left. Nixon also said, “I would’ve preferred to carry through to the finish…But the interest of the Nation must always come before any personal considerations.” Yes, Nixon may have preferred to finish his presidency, but he is only thinking of himself in this situation. Richard Nixon uses the appeals of ethos in his speech by using the fact that he is (or was) the president to add credibility. In the first paragraph Nixon says, “This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Nation.” He mentions how many decisions that shaped the nation have been made in that office. That makes him seem like an important person (which he is) because he is in that office. Nixon also states in his speech, “These

In Nixon’s speech it says, “…I feel a great sadness that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next 2 ½ years.” This makes the audience see Nixon’s regret in resigning and his love for them as a nation. He also said, “I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision. I would say only that if some of my Judgements were wrong and some were wrong, they were made I what I believed at the time to be the best interest of the Nation.” This touches very lightly on the Watergate Scandal, but lets the country see how sorry he is for his