《美国总统35 理查德 尼克松.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《美国总统35 理查德 尼克松.docx(7页珍藏版)》请在优知文库上搜索。
1、美国总统35理查德尼克松RichardNixon:Resignedplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-16:51repeatByKellyJeanKelly12November,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutRichardNixon.RichardMilhausNixonNixoniswell-knowntomanyAmericansforonereason:hewastheonlypresidenttoresignfromtheposition.Facingpos
2、siblelegalactionbyCongress,Nixonleftofficeearlyinhissecondterm.Nixonsearlypoliticalcareerwasmarkedbysuccess.HealsohadsomenoteworthyachievementsduringhisWhiteHouseyears.Andheattainedhisgoalofmovingthegovernmentinamoreconservativedirection.Inhislateryears,Nixonandhissupporterstriedtoreclaimhisplaceasa
3、nexpertoninternationalaffairs.ButformanyAmericans,thenameNixonremainslinkedtodistrustofnationalleaders,abuseofpower,andpoliticalwrongdoing.EarlylifeRichardNixonhadadifficultearlylife.HewasthesecondoffivesonsinaQuakerfamily.HisparentsownedalemonranchinCalifornia,nearthecityofLosAngeles.Butthefamilyst
4、ruggledfinancially.AndtwoofRichardsbrothersdied-oneasasmallchild,andoneasayoungadult.Intime,hisparentsbusinessfailed,andtheNixonsmovedtoanearbytown.Theparentsandchildrenallworkedatafillingstationthatsoldfuelandotherproducts.Despitethemanyhoursheworkedatthestore,RichardNixonwasatopstudentinhighschool
5、.HewasofferedfinancialaidtoattendHarvardUniversity,butthefamilyneededevenmoremoneytosendhimthere.Instead,heattendedalocalcollege,wherehebecamethestudentbodypresident,joinedadebateteam,actedinthetheater,andplayedfootball.NixonwentontolawschoolatDukeUniversityinNorthCarolina.Evenwithhisimpressivebackg
6、round,hedidnotgetthejobshesoughtattheFederalBureauofInvestigation-theFBI-ortoplawoffices.SohereturnedtheCaliforniatownwherehegrewupandbeganworkingasalawyer.There,hemarriedanotheractoratthecommunitytheater.HernamewasThelmaRyanzbutshewascalledPat.TheNixonswentontohavetwodaughters,TriciaandJulie.In1942
7、,NixonacceptedajobwiththefederalgovernmentinWashington,DC.Hedidnotstayinthepositionlong.AftertheUnitedStatesenteredWorldWarII,NixonjoinedtheNavy.HeservedasanofficerinthePacific.WhenhereturnedtotheU.S.,RepublicanPartyofficialsaskedhimtobeacandidateforCongress.Nixonagreed.HewontwotermsintheHouseofRepr
8、esentatives,andthenaseatintheU.S.Senate.Twoyearslater,DwightEisenhowerztheRepublicanpresidentialcandidate,askedNixontobehisvicepresident.Thetwomenwoninanelectorallandslide,andin1953Nixontookofficeasvicepresident.Hewasonly40yearsold,thesecond-youngestvicepresidentinU.S.history.EarlypoliticalcareerNix
9、onsearlypoliticalcareerisrememberedforseveralreasons.Oneishowquicklyherosetohighgovernmentoffice.AnotherisforhispartintheAlgerHisscaseinthelate1940s.HisswasatopofficialintheStateDepartment.HewasaccusedofbeingaCommunistinthe1930sand1940szandofpassinginformationabouttheU.S.governmenttoSovietspies.Hiss
10、deniedtheaccusations.ThecasewasbignewsintheUnitedStates.ItshowedtheclashbetweenpeoplewhobelievedHisswasfalselyaccusedasawaytodiscreditliberalpolicieszandpeoplewhobelievedthegovernmentwasprotectingcommunistsympathizers.Nixonwasinthesecondgroup.HewaspartoftheinvestigationagainstHissandpushedforhisindi
11、ctment.Nixonseffortssucceeded,andHisswenttojailforalmostfouryears.1.ater,Nixonsaidthatthecasewasoneofthereasonsforhisrisetopower.TheCheckersspeechtaughtpoliticianstheimportanceofTVincreatingapublicimage.ItalsohelpedNixonandEisenhowerwinthepresidentialelectionof1952.Theyarepicturedherewiththeirwives.
12、NixonalsoearnednationalattentionwithaneventthathasbecomeknownastheCheckersspeech.Ithappenedin1952zwhenNixonwasrunningforvicepresident.SomereportersaccusedNixonofcorruption.Theysaidhewasacceptingmoneyandgiftsfromwealthydonorsinexchangeforhispoliticalsupport.Nixonwentontelevisiontodenytheclaimspersona
13、lly.Atthetime,Americanswerenotusedtoseeingpoliticiansspeakingdirectlytothepublic.YetNixonspokeinformallyandemotionally,fromwhatappearedtobeahome.Heexplainedhisfamilysfinances.Hesaidhedidnotacceptcampaigndonationsforpersonalbenefit.But,headded,therewasoneexception.AsupporterhadoncegiventheNixonchildr
14、enablackandwhitedogtheycalledCheckers.Nixonsaidherefusedtoreturnhisdaughterspet.Thepublic-andRepublicanPartyofficials-lovedthespeech.Nixonappearedwarmandlikable.Middle-classAmericansespeciallysaidtheycouldrelatetohim.Mostforgottheclaimsagainsthim.AndNixonspoliticalcareerwassaved.Duringthefollowingei
15、ghtyears,heservedasvicepresidentintheEisenhoweradministration.ButthenNixonsluckturned.InI960,NixonlostasapresidentialcandidatetoJohnF.Kennedy.Heblamed,inpartzthemedia.Thenin1962,helosthiseffortstobegovernorofCalifornia.Nixonsaidhewasretiringfrompolitics.Hefamouslytoldreporters,YouwonthaveNixontokick
16、aroundanymore.Yetsevenyearslater,hewasintheWhiteHouse.ItwasoneofthemostmemorablecomebacksinU.S.politicalhistory.PresidencyWhenNixontookofficein1969zsomeAmericansthoughtthecountrywasincrisis.Theeconomywasnotdoingwell.Raceriotshadbeeneruptinginbigcities.Manypeoplewerestilltryingtorecoverfromtheviolenceofayearearlier.CivilrightsleaderMartinLutherKingJuniorandPresidentJohnF.KennedysbrotherR