I have provided an assignment from my communication theory course, COM 387, which applies the theory of rhetoric, conceptualized by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, to Richard Nixon's "Checker's Speech." President Nixon delivered the speech after allegedly allocating funds to reimburse himself for political expenses and implemented rhetoric to appeal to his audience. Rhetoric consists of three appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos. Aristotle theorized that using some form of logic, emotion, or credibility within a public speech will allow the orator to appeal to his or her audience. Not only is this one of the oldest theories in the field of communication, but it is also foundational to the discipline. Many communication theories have built upon the theory of rhetoric. Rhetoric, as a theory, has also stood the test of time as communication scholars have found little to critique. I discuss how Aristotle conceived of these appeals and then identify specific phrases Nixon used that employed rhetoric. In doing so, I identify specific history of the theory of rhetoric in its ancient conceptualization and analyze its twentieth-century implementation.
Kennan Martin
COM 387
HW #3
Applying the Rhetoric of Aristotle to Richard Nixon’s “Checkers Speech”
Work Cited
Griffin, E. A., Ledbetter, A., & Sparks, G. G. (2015). A first look at communication theory. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Nixon, Richard M. (1952, October 15). Checkers speech. Vital Speeches of the Day. pp. 11-15.