Nixon's First Political Campaign Race example essay topic

Richard Mil house Nixon was a very prominent politician in the mid 1900's. His solid upbringing and vicious campaign tactics led to many political wins. It also led to many political enemies. Much of the public thought of him as a great American president until his down fall in March of 1973. I think that Richard Nixon was a good president, but in the end went to far.

Richard Nixon grew up in a small town in California. His dad operated and owned a grocery store where Nixon spent most of his time working. The town that he lived in was very religious and even prohibited alcohol. Nixon's classmates thought of him as a cocky yet bright student. When Nixon was in high school his older brother died. This is the time when Nixon felt he had to prove something to his mother.

Nixon's first political campaign race was for senior class president. He lost. This was one of only two political loses ever dealt to Nixon in his whole political career. Nixon, after high school, was offered a scholarship to Harvard, but couldn't go because family illness. Nixon went to college and later law school and became a known Republican in his area. Nixon was now going to run for public office.

Nixon's first stab at political office was when he ran for the Republican seat in the House of Representatives against Jerry Voorhis. Nixon started his dirty campaigning in this election when he made suggestions that Jerry Voorhis might be a Communist. This is where I feel Nixon went to far. In a public election you let the people decide whether or not Jerry Voorhis is a Communist. That is why the people have the right to vote. If you use the name-calling tactic you are completely going against the reason public elections are held.

Nixon won his seat in the House of Representatives. While he was in the House he was on the Un-American Activities Commission. This 'commission'; specialized in the hunting down of Communists in America. This is one of the sickest displays of American paranoia I can even think about.

These people on the commission would scare, coax, and make people say that their neighbors, colleagues, and sometimes-even relatives were Communists and then they would put the people whose name they got in black books. These black books would assure that the person couldn't get a job or get a loan or even friends. After Nixon's time in the House was up he decided to run for the office of federal senator of California. His opponent name was Helen Douglas.

Nixon again made accusations of possible Communist activity and he earned her the nickname of the 'Pink Lady'; . Because of Nixon's sick campaign strategies he earned himself the nickname of 'Tricky Dick'; a very fitting name for him at this point in his political career. Nixon, after his stint as a federal senator ran on the ticket for Eisenhower's vice president in the 1952 presidential campaign. During this presidential race someone found out that Nixon had been hiding money for himself. This Nixon denied and told the press that the money wasn't secret at all. After this incident Eisenhower urged that Nixon be dropped from the ballot.

This is when Nixon went on TV and talked to the people one on one. This speech was known as the Checker Speech. This speech won Nixon the respect of the American public. Eisenhower went on to win the presidential race for the year 1952. I think that Nixon really knew what he was doing when he wrote the Checker Speech. This one area that I respect of Nixon, to go straight to the public the way he did is very commendable.

While Nixon was the vice president for Eisenhower he did all the dirty work that had to done. This went on for another term and in 1960 Nixon got the Republican nomination to run for president. Nixon ran against John F. Kennedy. From what I have been told Nixon should have won this race for president, but Kennedy had a much more carefree relaxed attitude compared to Nixon's shady and actually cruel background. Coming off his defeat for president Nixon tried to run for Governor of California. His opponent was Edmund G. Brown.

Nixon suffered a humiliating loss that I think was due to the fact that Nixon had just lost touch with the people of California. After this loss Nixon retired from politics and moved to New York where he successfully practiced law. Nixon became a rich by 1967 and I feel a changed man. In 1968 Nixon ran for the Presidential office again against Hubert Humphrey. Nixon won this election on the promise of peace and end to the war in Vietnam.

I feel he made good on his promise to have peace and he began the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam. Many people were angry with Nixon for not just ending the war. I on the other hand feel Nixon was in his right mind for doing just what he did. If it was an illegal war I think America still should have stayed until victory was ours. I would have.

Nixon was reelected in 1972 when he ran against George McGovern. As a president, I think everyone would agree Nixon was outstanding. His opening of China and treaties with Russia were beyond their time. In 1973 Nixon ordered the bugging of the democratic headquarters in Watergate. Nixon got caught and was forced to resign in 1974. I think that in the beginning Nixon had a very bad start.

He resorted to the use name-calling to win his elections. There is no excuse for that in any election in any party. I think that in 1952 Nixon began to change. He started to focus more on the people with the Checker Speech and environmental reforms. I feel that he did the right thing in gradually pulling out from Vietnam. I would not have done so.

I also feel that the minor incident that happened with Watergate was illegal yes but was it reason enough to take a president from office no. The only change that happened in Nixon was for the good and I feel he was a good president..