In Nixon's Checkers Speech, he employs several persuasive strategies to appeal to his audience. One strategy is personalization, where he relates to the audience by sharing personal anecdotes and details about his life. He talks about his wife not having a mink coat but a respectable Republican cloth coat, and how they received a dog as a gift from a supporter. By sharing relatable stories, Nixon humanizes himself and creates a connection with the audience, making it more likely for them to trust and sympathize with him.
Another persuasive strategy Nixon uses is emotional appeal. He emphasizes the love his children have for their new dog, Checkers, and states that regardless of what anyone says, they will keep it. This appeals to the viewers' emotions, particularly if they have children or pets themselves, evoking feelings of warmth, empathy, and understanding. By using emotions in his speech, Nixon attempts to create a positive association with himself and his family in the minds of the audience.
In my own speech, I can utilize these strategies by personalizing my message and sharing relatable stories and experiences. By making my content more relevant and connecting it to the audience's own lives, I can make my speech more persuasive. Additionally, incorporating emotional appeal can help create a stronger connection with the audience and make my message more memorable and impactful. By understanding and tailoring my persuasive message to my audience, I can increase the likelihood of influencing their opinions and attitudes.
Nixon’s Checkers Speech In 1952, concerns were raised about vice presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon’s (1913–1994) alleged improper use of campaign funds. In a live televised speech to the American people on September 12, he gave an exhaustive account of his finances. In the middle of the speech, he delivered the famous line that gave the speech its name.
Analyze the persuasive strategies at work here, and determine how they were used in this speech and how you will use them in your own speech. Refer to “Tailoring Your Persuasive Message to Your Audience” section of Chapter 17 (pp. 439–47 in Speak Up!). This means you have to read the chapter, make note of the strategies, read or watch the speech, and write at least two paragraphs on your findings.
Well, that’s about it. That’s what we have and that’s what we owe. It isn’t very much but Pat and I have the satisfaction that every dime that we’ve got is honestly ours. I should say this—that Pat doesn’t have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat. And I always tell her that she’d look good in anything. One other thing I probably should tell you because if we don’t they’ll probably be saying this about me too, we did get something—a gift—after the election. A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two youngsters would like to have a dog. And, believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was. It was a little cocker spaniel dog in a crate that he’d sent all the way from Texas. Black and white spotted. And our little girl—Tricia, the 6-year old— named it Checkers. And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog and I just want to say this right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we’re gonna keep it.
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