Barry Morris Goldwater was born in Arizona in 1909 to a merchant family. He was known for his exceptional speaking skills. Goldwater attended the Staunton Military Academy and the University of Arizona, where he studied before returning home to assist his family with their business. When World War II broke out, Goldwater enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and served in both the Pacific and India. After many years of service, he eventually rose to become Brigadier General of the Air Force Reserve.
Barry Goldwater’s acceptance speech at the 1964 Republican National Convention in San Francisco is considered one of the most forceful and controversial speeches of its time. It was delivered during one of the most tumultuous Republican conventions since Teddy Roosevelt attempted to overthrow President William Howard Taft in 1912. Goldwater’s speech served as a call to arms for conservatives and the new conservatism movement.
Goldwater’s speech was both stimulating and striking. However, when he proclaimed that “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue”, he electrified the audience. This statement undoubtedly served as a rallying point for his supporters on that summer evening in San Francisco. Nevertheless, it hung over Goldwater like a dark cloud for the remainder of his campaign and some would argue for the rest of his life.
No matter how hard he tried to clarify what he meant, it was consistently interpreted as an eagerness to welcome right-wing extremists into his campaign at the expense of Nelson Rockefeller and other Republican moderates. The Saturday Evening Post even remarked that “that statement deserves to be the ‘Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion’ of this election, and Barry Goldwater deserves to be defeated for it alone, no matter how much he tries to clown it away (since) he knows what he meant by it” (Donaldson 151).
In his speech, it is important to consider that delivering an effective opening requires skill and preparation. However, the process is not mysterious. The canons of rhetoric have been known since ancient Greek times. Barry Goldwater’s approach to educating voters was well-prepared and thought out using the five canons of invention, memory, organization, style, and delivery. All of these canons address thought.
The canon of invention deals with thoughts straightforwardly by understanding the emotions, reasoning processes, and character of the communicator (Salvador and Sias, 49).
Regarding Barry Goldwater’s character, his political background was primarily shaped by Arizona. Goldwater grew up as a staunch individualist who distrusted the government. He considered and embraced the doctrine of limited government as the touchstone of his political beliefs and philosophy. This belief helped him win a seat on both Phoenix City Council and then in the United States Senate in 1952 (Schweizer and Hall, 2007).
In his speech, he appealed to his audience’s emotions first by expressing gratitude for being the representative of the Republican Party with great humility. He also instilled a sense of nationalism in them while persuading them to work together towards achieving common goals or objectives.
The canon of memory is associated with thought in at least two ways. In classical times, it concerned itself with how to retain information or ideas. Nowadays, memory is generally visualized or regarded as a collective history that shapes and is shaped by cultures (Salvador and Sias, 49).
In Barry Goldwater’s speech, he supported his reasoning and arguments with evidence or events from history. He also used these events to emphasize his speech and persuade the audience towards his mission and vision for the campaign or the country as a whole. Goldwater also attempted to have the audience recall their past experiences with the government or administration.
In his speech, Barry Goldwater mentioned that During four futile years, the administration which we shall replace has distorted and lost that faith” (“Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech”). He also added that “failures cement the wall of shame in Berlin” (“Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech”). From these statements, it can be said that Goldwater used both the canon of memory and the canon of invention to catch his audience’s attention and strongly persuade them to listen to his plans. The use of the canon of memory can be further observed as he continued with his speech by recalling past government failures such as in the “blot sands of shame at the Bay of Pigs,” the “slow death of freedom in Laos,” “infest in the jungles of Vietnam,” and the “haunt on houses our once great alliances and undermine(ing)the greatest bulwark ever created by free nations (or)the NATO community” (“Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech”). These things mentioned by Barry Goldwater serve as a stimulus for the audience to recall things from history or specifically think about events he mentioned while appealing to their emotions. It can be said that this further promotes patriotism and movement towards a different government or administration, preferably one Barry Goldwater has planned for them.
The third canon of study, organization, is about how we structure ideas in thought and language (Salvador and Sias, 49). In Barry Goldwater’s acceptance speech, he follows a pattern that first addresses his audience to get their attention. He then provides information such as facts or historical events followed by an explanation of what he had mentioned. Subsequently, he appeals to the audience’s emotions and persuades them with his thoughts and ideas. Lastly, he states his plans to change what he finds wrong in the system and returns back to the audience assuring them that if they follow his direction or objectives they would be able to free our people and light the way for liberty throughout the world” (“Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech”).
On the other hand, the canon of style refers to language reflecting the world, ideas about it, and the speaker’s soul (Salvador and Sias, 49). Goldwater’s speech structure shows his use of this canon to influence his audience. He addresses them from the Republican Party’s viewpoint to emphasize that cooperation and unity are needed. However, he also provides his own point of view in some parts by starting with I”. For instance, he tells them that “I (Goldwater) know this freedom is not the fruit of every soil…the road to freedom is a long and challenging road” (“Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech”). This manner of speaking reveals his soul and empathy towards others while emphasizing his appeal.
Lastly, the final element of a speech is delivery, which describes how it is physically presented. This includes matters such as vocal control, variation, gestures, and eye contact. Delivery presents one person to another (Salvador and Sias 49). Barry Goldwater’s speech shows great emphasis on some of the points he is trying to make. The tone of his voice rises on certain ideas or points of view, resulting in great acceptance from the audience. Additionally, he allows time for the audience to react with cheers and applause during his speech. He also takes time in saying his words clearly, audibly and persuasively (“Barry Goldwater Clip”).
Generally, the classical approach does not account for how communication influences us, which limits its power. The traditional canons urge citizens to assess assumptions, emotional content, evidence, and ethical implications of ideas. Salvador and Sias argue that with knowledge of rhetoric we can combat demagoguery and chicanery; without it, we may be powerless before them (49).
Barry Goldwater’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, California, is noteworthy and effective, especially when observed in perspective of modern politics. Instead of attempting to widen or extend his political base by resolving differences, Goldwater stood steadfastly and assertively to his ideological convictions, beliefs, and passions. Although Goldwater lost the 1964 election to Lyndon Johnson thoroughly, it is often said that he prompted or initiated a conservative revolution that recreated the GOP and ultimately paved the way for his chief campaign spokesman,” Ronald Reagan (Schweizer and Hall 31).
Works Cited
Goldwater’s 1964 Acceptance Speech,” USA, 1998. The Washington Post Company. April 25, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/may98/goldwaterspeech.htm.
Donaldson, Gary. Modern America: A Documentary History of the Nation since 1945. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2007.
Liberty Economics. Barry Goldwater Clip.” 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2008, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GITwqqE72N8.
Salvador, Michael, and Patricia M. Sias wrote a book titled The Public Voice in a Democracy at Risk”. It was published by Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. in 1998.
Schweizer, P. and W.C. Hall’s book Landmark Speeches of the American Conservative Movement” was published in 2007 by Texas A&M University Press in the United States.
