Nixon and Socrates

Richard Nixon addresses the counterargument when he expresses his opinion that "the best and only answer to a smear or to an honest misunderstanding of the facts is to tell the truth" (Nixon 3). In saying this, he is offering that there was been a simple misunderstanding of the facts. This way, Nixon can argue that he hasnt done wrong while also not offending or degrading his opponent. This correlates with Socrates' concept, in paragraph six, that it is realistic to assume that such rumors have a some sort of origin and are not completely fabricated. Nixon and Socrates have similar purposes in their speeches; to persuade their audience that they are innocent. However, their context and subjects differ. Nixon goes about proving himself by using logos and pathos. He tells his audience everything he has earned, spent, and owns. Socrates, on the other hand, uses more ethos than anything. He makes a big deal of finding out who has the most wisdom. He concludes that since he knows that he doesnt know everything, he has more wisdom than those who think they know everything.