美国总统35 理查德 尼克松.docx

美国总统35理查德尼克松RichardNixon:Resignedplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-16:51repeatByKellyJeanKelly12November,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutRichardNixon.RichardMilhausNixonNixoniswell-knowntomanyAmericansforonereason:hewastheonlypresidenttoresignfromtheposition.FacingpossiblelegalactionbyCongress,Nixonleftofficeearlyinhissecondterm.Nixon'searlypoliticalcareerwasmarkedbysuccess.HealsohadsomenoteworthyachievementsduringhisWhiteHouseyears.Andheattainedhisgoalofmovingthegovernmentinamoreconservativedirection.Inhislateryears,Nixonandhissupporterstriedtoreclaimhisplaceasanexpertoninternationalaffairs.ButformanyAmericans,thename"Nixon"remainslinkedtodistrustofnationalleaders,abuseofpower,andpoliticalwrongdoing.EarlylifeRichardNixonhadadifficultearlylife.HewasthesecondoffivesonsinaQuakerfamily.HisparentsownedalemonranchinCalifornia,nearthecityofLosAngeles.Butthefamilystruggledfinancially.AndtwoofRichard'sbrothersdied-oneasasmallchild,andoneasayoungadult.Intime,hisparent'sbusinessfailed,andtheNixonsmovedtoanearbytown.Theparentsandchildrenallworkedatafillingstationthatsoldfuelandotherproducts.Despitethemanyhoursheworkedatthestore,RichardNixonwasatopstudentinhighschool.HewasofferedfinancialaidtoattendHarvardUniversity,butthefamilyneededevenmoremoneytosendhimthere.Instead,heattendedalocalcollege,wherehebecamethestudentbodypresident,joinedadebateteam,actedinthetheater,andplayedfootball.NixonwentontolawschoolatDukeUniversityinNorthCarolina.Evenwithhisimpressivebackground,hedidnotgetthejobshesoughtattheFederalBureauofInvestigation-theFBI-ortoplawoffices.SohereturnedtheCaliforniatownwherehegrewupandbeganworkingasalawyer.There,hemarriedanotheractoratthecommunitytheater.HernamewasThelmaRyanzbutshewascalledPat.TheNixonswentontohavetwodaughters,TriciaandJulie.In1942,NixonacceptedajobwiththefederalgovernmentinWashington,DC.Hedidnotstayinthepositionlong.AftertheUnitedStatesenteredWorldWarII,NixonjoinedtheNavy.HeservedasanofficerinthePacific.WhenhereturnedtotheU.S.,RepublicanPartyofficialsaskedhimtobeacandidateforCongress.Nixonagreed.HewontwotermsintheHouseofRepresentatives,andthenaseatintheU.S.Senate.Twoyearslater,DwightEisenhowerztheRepublicanpresidentialcandidate,askedNixontobehisvicepresident.Thetwomenwoninanelectorallandslide,andin1953Nixontookofficeasvicepresident.Hewasonly40yearsold,thesecond-youngestvicepresidentinU.S.history.EarlypoliticalcareerNixon'searlypoliticalcareerisrememberedforseveralreasons.Oneishowquicklyherosetohighgovernmentoffice.AnotherisforhispartintheAlgerHisscaseinthelate1940s.HisswasatopofficialintheStateDepartment.HewasaccusedofbeingaCommunistinthe1930sand1940szandofpassinginformationabouttheU.S.governmenttoSovietspies.Hissdeniedtheaccusations.ThecasewasbignewsintheUnitedStates.ItshowedtheclashbetweenpeoplewhobelievedHisswasfalselyaccusedasawaytodiscreditliberalpolicieszandpeoplewhobelievedthegovernmentwasprotectingcommunistsympathizers.Nixonwasinthesecondgroup.HewaspartoftheinvestigationagainstHissandpushedforhisindictment.Nixon'seffortssucceeded,andHisswenttojailforalmostfouryears.1.ater,Nixonsaidthatthecasewasoneofthereasonsforhisrisetopower.TheCheckersspeechtaughtpoliticianstheimportanceofTVincreatingapublicimage.ItalsohelpedNixonandEisenhowerwinthepresidentialelectionof1952.Theyarepicturedherewiththeirwives.NixonalsoearnednationalattentionwithaneventthathasbecomeknownastheCheckersspeech.Ithappenedin1952zwhenNixonwasrunningforvicepresident.SomereportersaccusedNixonofcorruption.Theysaidhewasacceptingmoneyandgiftsfromwealthydonorsinexchangeforhispoliticalsupport.Nixonwentontelevisiontodenytheclaimspersonally.Atthetime,Americanswerenotusedtoseeingpoliticiansspeakingdirectlytothepublic.YetNixonspokeinformallyandemotionally,fromwhatappearedtobeahome.Heexplainedhisfamily'sfinances.Hesaidhedidnotacceptcampaigndonationsforpersonalbenefit.But,headded,therewasoneexception.AsupporterhadoncegiventheNixonchildrenablackandwhitedogtheycalledCheckers.Nixonsaidherefusedtoreturnhisdaughters'pet.Thepublic-andRepublicanPartyofficials-lovedthespeech.Nixonappearedwarmandlikable.Middle-classAmericansespeciallysaidtheycouldrelatetohim.Mostforgottheclaimsagainsthim.AndNixon'spoliticalcareerwassaved.Duringthefollowingeightyears,heservedasvicepresidentintheEisenhoweradministration.ButthenNixon'sluckturned.InI960,NixonlostasapresidentialcandidatetoJohnF.Kennedy.Heblamed,inpartzthemedia.Thenin1962,helosthiseffortstobegovernorofCalifornia.Nixonsaidhewasretiringfrompolitics.Hefamouslytoldreporters,"Youwon'thaveNixontokickaroundanymore."Yetsevenyearslater,hewasintheWhiteHouse.ItwasoneofthemostmemorablecomebacksinU.S.politicalhistory.PresidencyWhenNixontookofficein1969zsomeAmericansthoughtthecountrywasincrisis.Theeconomywasnotdoingwell.Raceriotshadbeeneruptinginbigcities.Manypeoplewerestilltryingtorecoverfromtheviolenceofayearearlier.CivilrightsleaderMartinLutherKingJuniorandPresidentJohnF.Kennedy'sbrotherR