Context

Richard Nixon’s “Checkers Speech” came at a pivotal moment in his political career. While we mostly know him today for the infamy of Watergate, at the time of this speech, Nixon was the Republican vice-presidential candidate running alongside Dwight D. Eisenhower. He faced accusations that he had an improper “slush fund” provided by wealthy donors for personal expenses rather than for the campaign. These accusations cast doubt on his integrity, prompting calls for his resignation from the ticket. To address these concerns, Nixon turned to television, which was still a relatively new medium in politics, in an effort to make his case directly to the American people.

As you listen to the two portions of the speech below, consider how he uses different tactics to build his overall credibility.

Transcript of the full speech is available here.