Politics of Resentment (2 of 2)

The cultural turmoil of the 1960s resurrected Nixon’s political career. His strong activation of the politics of resentment keyed his success in 1968 and 1969. Nixon developed two rhetorical tropes which he powerfully used. He combined into one group (1) the angry minorities rioting and taking welfare in the cities and (2) the anti-authority college youth with their antiwar campus activism. Nixon argued that both groups victimized everyday Americans with their disobedience, drugs, and violence. When he spoke of one group, he was simultaneously capturing popular resentment against the other.

During his 1968 campaign Nixon said, “our first commitment as a nation in this time of crisis and questioning must be a commitment to order.” Nixon initially blamed students for the violent deaths at Kent State University (the National Guard fired on student protesters in May 1970, killing four students and wounding nine), a position favored by many in the population.… Read the rest