Barry Goldwater: 1964 Republican National Convention Address My good friend and great Republican, Dick Nixon and your charming wife, Pat; my unning mate that wonderful repu blican w ho has served us so well for so long Bill Miller and his w if e, Stephanie; to Thurston Morton who's done such a commendable job in cha irmaning this Convention; to Mr Herbert Hoover, who i hope is watching: and to that-- that great American and his wife, General and Mrs. Eisenhower to my own wife, my family and to all of my fellow Republicans here assembled, and Americans across this great Nation From this moment, united a nd determined we will go forward together, dedicated to the ultimate and undeniable greatness of the whole man Together --Together we will win I accept your nomination with a deep sense of humility. I accept, too, the responsibility that goes with it, and i seek your continued help and your continued guidance. My fellow Republicans our cause is too great for any man to feel worthy of it. Our task would be too great for any man, did he not have with him the hearts and the hands of this great Republican Party and i promise you tonight that every fiber of my being is consecrated to our cause; that nothing sha ll be lacking from the struggle that can be broug ht to it by enth us iasm by devotion, and pla in hard work. In this world no person, no Party can guarantee anything but what we can do and hat we shall do is to deserve victory, and victory will be ours The good lord raised this m ighty Repu blic to be a home for the brave and to flourish as the land of the free -- not to stagnate in the swampland of collectivism, not to cringe bef ore the bully ing of communism Now, my fellow Americans, the tide has been running aga inst freedom. Our people have followed false prophets. We must and we shall, return to proven ways--not because they are old, but because they are true. We must, and we shall, set the tides running again in the cause of freedom and this party, with its every action, every word, every breath, and every heartbeat has but a single resolve, and that is freedom -- freedom made orderly for this Nation by our constitutional government; freedom under a government limited by the laws of nature and of natures God freedom balanced so that order lacking liberty [sic] will not become the slavery of the prison shell [cell; balanced so that liberty lacking order will not become the license of the mob and of the jungle Now, we Americans understand freedom We have earned it we have lived for it and we have died for it. This Nation and its people are freedom's model in a searching world We can be freedom's missionaries in a doubting world. But, ladies
Barry Goldwater: 1964 Republican National Convention Address My good f riend and great Republican, Dick Nixon, and your charming wife, Pat; my running mate, that wonderful Republican who has served us so well for so long, Bill Miller and his wife, Stephanie; to Thurston Morton who's done such a commendable job in chairmaning this Convention; to Mr. Herbert Hoover, who I hope is watching; and to that -- that great American and his wife, General and Mrs. Eisenhower; to my own wife, my family, and to all of my fellow Republicans here assembled, and Americans across this great Nation. From this moment, united and determined, we will go forward together, dedicated to the ultimate and undeniable greatness of the whole man. Together -- Together we will win. I accept your nomination with a deep sense of humility. I accept, too, the responsibility that goes with it, and I seek your continued help and your continued guidance. My fellow Republicans, our cause is too great for any man to feel worthy of it. Our task would be too great for any man, did he not have with him the hearts and the hands of this great Republican Party, and I promise you tonight that every fiber of my being is consecrated to our cause; that nothing shall be lacking f rom the struggle that can be brought to it by enthusiasm, by devotion, and plain hard work. In this world no person, no Party can guarantee anything, but what we can do and what we shall do is to deserve victory, and victory will be ours. The good Lord raised this mighty Republic to be a home for the brave and to flourish as the land of the f ree -- not to stagnate in the swampland of collectivism, not to cringe before the bullying of communism. Now, my fellow Americans, the tide has been running against f reedom. Our people have followed false prophets. We must, and we shall, return to proven ways -- not because they are old, but because they are true. We must, and we shall, set the tides running again in the cause of f reedom. And this party, with its every action, every word, every breath, and every heartbeat, has but a single resolve, and that is freedom -- f reedom made orderly for this Nation by our constitutional government; f reedom under a government limited by the laws of nature and of nature's God; f reedom balanced so that order lacking liberty [sic] will not become the slavery of the prison shell [cell]; balanced so that liberty lacking order will not become the license of the mob and of the jungle. Now, we Americans understand f reedom. We have earned it; we have lived for it, and we have died for it. This Nation and its people are f reedom's model in a searching world. We can be f reedom's missionaries in a doubting world. But, ladies
and gentlemen, first we must renew freedom's mission in our own hearts and in our own hom During four futile years, the administration which we shall replace has --has distorted and lost that vision it has talked and talked and talked and talked the ords of freedom but it has failed and failed and failed in the works of freedom Now failures cements the wall of shame in berlin failures blot the sands of shame at the bay of pigs. Failures mark the slow death of freedom in Laos. Failures inf est he jungles of Vietnam. And failures haunt the houses of our once great alliances and undermine the greatest bulwark ever erected by free nations -- the Nato community. Failures proclaim lost leadership, obscure purpose, weakening will, and the risk of inciting our sworn enemies to new aggressions and to new excesses And because of this administration we are tonight a world divided we are a Nation becalmed We have lost the brisk pace of diversity and the genius of individual creativity. We are plodding along at a pace set by centralized planning, red tape rules without responsibility, and regimentation without recourse. Rather than useful jobs in our country our people have been offered bureaucratic make work", rather than moral leadership, they have been given bread and circuses. They have been given spectacles, and yes, they,'ve even been given scandals Tonight, there is violence in our streets, corruption in our highest offices, aimlessness amongst our youth, anxiety among our elders and there's a virtua despair among the many who look beyond material success for the inner meaning of their lives. And where examples of morality should be set, the opposite is seen Small men, seeking great wea Ith or power, have too often and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity Now, certainly simple honesty is not too much to demand of men in government We find it in most. Republicans demand it from everyone they demand it from everyone no matter how exalted or protected his position mig ht be. Now the --the growing menace in our country tonight, to personal safety, to life to limb and property in homes, in churches, on the playgrounds, and places of business, particularly in our great cities, is the mounting concern, or should be, of every thought ul citizen in the United States Security from domestic violence, no less than from foreign aggression, is the most elementary and fundamental purpose of any government, and a government that cannot fulf ill this purpose is one that cannot long command the loyalty of its citizens
and gentlemen, first we must renew f reedom's mission in our own hearts and in our own homes. During four futile years, the administration which we shall replace has -- has distorted and lost that vision. It has talked and talked and talked and talked the words of f reedom, but it has failed and failed and failed in the works of f reedom. Now, failures cements the wall of shame in Berlin. Failures blot the sands of shame at the Bay of Pigs. Failures mark the slow death of freedom in Laos. Failures infest the jungles of Vietnam. And failures haunt the houses of our once great alliances and undermine the greatest bulwark ever erected by f ree nations -- the NATO community. Failures proclaim lost leadership, obscure purpose, weakening will, and the risk of inciting our sworn enemies to new aggressions and to new excesses. And because of this administration we are tonight a world divided; we are a Nation becalmed. We have lost the brisk pace of diversity and the genius of individual creativity. We are plodding along at a pace set by centralized planning, red tape, rules without responsibility, and regimentation without recourse. Rather than useful jobs in our country, our people have been of fered bureaucratic "make work"; rather than moral leadership, they have been given bread and circuses. They have been given spectacles, and, yes, they've even been given scandals. Tonight, there is violence in our streets, corruption in our highest of fices, aimlessness amongst our youth, anxiety among our elders, and there's a virtual despair among the many who look beyond material success for the inner meaning of their lives. And where examples of morality should be set, the opposite is seen. Small men, seeking great wealth or power, have too of ten and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity. Now, certainly, simple honesty is not too much to demand of men in government. We find it in most. Republicans demand it f rom everyone. They demand it f rom everyone no matter how exalted or protected his position might be. Now the -- the growing menace in our country tonight, to personal safety, to life, to limb and property, in homes, in churches, on the playgrounds, and places of business, particularly in our great cities, is the mounting concern, or should be, of every thoughtful citizen in the United States. Security f rom domestic violence, no less than f rom foreign aggression, is the most elementary and fundamental purpose of any government, and a government that cannot fulfill this purpose is one that cannot long command the loyalty of its citizens
History shows us --it demonstrates that nothing, nothing prepares the way for tyranny more than the failure of public off icials to keep the streets safe from bullies and marauders Now, we Republicans see all this as more, much more, than the result of mere political differences or mere political mistakes. We see this as the result of a fundamentally and absolute ly wrong view of man, his nature, and his destiny. Those ho seek to live your lives for you, to take your liberties in return for relieving you of yours, those who elevate the state and dow grade the citizen must see ultimately a world in which earthly power can be substituted for Divine Will, and this Nation was founded upon the rejection of that notion and upon the acceptance of God as the author of freedom Now those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enf orce their own version of heaven on earth. They --and let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellis h tyrannies. absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed. Their mistaken course stems from false notions, ladies and gentlemen, of equality. Equa lity rightly understood, as our founding fathers understood it leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences. Wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time it leads first to conf ormity and then to despotism Fellow Republicans, it is the cause of Republicanism to resist concentrations of ate or public, which - which enforce such conformity and inf lict such despotism. It is the cause of Republicanism to ensure that power remains in the hands of the people. And so help us God that is exactly what a Republican President will do with the help of a Republican Congress It is further the tore a clear understanding of the cranny of man over man in the world at large. It is our cause to dispel the foggy thinking which avoids hard decisions in the delusion that a world of conf lict will somehow mysteriously resolve itself into a world of harmony if we just dont rock the boat or irritate the forces of aggression --and this is hogwash It is further the cause of Republicanism to remind ourselves, and the world, that only the strong can remain free that only the strong can keep the peace Now, I neednt remind you or my fellow Americans regardless of party that Republicans have shouldered this hard responsibility and marched in this cause before. It was Republican leadership under dw ight Eisenhower that kept the peace, and passed along to this administration the mightiest arsenal for def ense the world as ever known. and i needn't remind you that it was the strength and the Lun]believable will of the Eisenhower years that kept the peace by using our
History shows us -- it demonstrates that nothing, nothing prepares the way for tyranny more than the failure of public officials to keep the streets safe from bullies and marauders. Now, we Republicans see all this as more, much more, than the result of mere political dif ferences or mere political mistakes. We see this as the result of a fundamentally and absolutely wrong view of man, his nature, and his destiny. Those who seek to live your lives for you, to take your liberties in return for relieving you of yours, those who elevate the state and downgrade the citizen must see ultimately a world in which earthly power can be substituted for Divine Will, and this Nation was founded upon the rejection of that notion and upon the acceptance of God as the author of f reedom. Now those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. They -- and let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed. Their mistaken course stems f rom false notions, ladies and gentlemen, of equality. Equality, rightly understood, as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative dif ferences. Wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism. Fellow Republicans, it is the cause of Republicanism to resist concentrations of power, private or public, which -- which enforce such conformity and inflict such despotism. It is the cause of Republicanism to ensure that power remains in the hands of the people. And, so help us God, that is exactly what a Republican President will do with the help of a Republican Congress. It is further the cause of Republicanism to restore a clear understanding of the tyranny of man over man in the world at large. It is our cause to dispel the foggy thinking which avoids hard decisions in the delusion that a world of conflict will somehow mysteriously resolve itself into a world of harmony, if we just don't rock the boat or irritate the forces of aggression -- and this is hogwash. It is further the cause of Republicanism to remind ourselves, and the world, that only the strong can remain f ree, that only the strong can keep the peace. Now, I needn't remind you, or my fellow Americans regardless of party, that Republicans have shouldered this hard responsibility and marched in this cause before. It was Republican leadership under Dwight Eisenhower that kept the peace, and passed along to this administration the mightiest arsenal for defense the world has ever known. And I needn't remind you that it was the strength and the [un]believable will of the Eisenhower years that kept the peace by using our
strength, by using it in the Formosa Straits and in Lebanon and by show ing it courageously at all times It was dur ing those Republican years that the thrust of Communist im peria lism was blunted. It was during those years of Republican leadership that this world moved closer, not to war, but closer to peace than at any other time in the last three decades And i needn ' t remind you --but I will --that it 's been dur ing Democratic our strength to deter war has stood still, and even gone into a planned has been during Democratic years that we have weakly stumbled into conf lict, tim idly ref using to draw our own lines aga inst aggression, deceitf ully ref using to tell even our people of our full participation, and tragically letting our f inest men die on battle ields, unmarked by purpose unmarked by pride or the prospect of victory Yesterday it was Korea. Tonight it is vietnam. Make no bones of this. Don 't try to sweep this under the rug. We are at war in Vietnam. And yet the president who is the Commander-in-Chief of our forces, ref uses to say - ref uses to say, mind you whether or not the objective over there is victory. And his secretary of Defense continues to mis lead and misinform the American people and eno ugh of it has gone And i needn 't remind you - but I will --it has been during Democratic years that a billion persons were cast into Communist captivity and their fate cynically sealed Today - Today in our beloved country we have an administration which seems eager to deal with communism in every coin known--from gold to wheat, from consulates to conf idences and even human freedom itself Now the republican cause demands that we brand communism as the principa disturber of peace in the world today. Indeed we should brand it as the only signif icant disturber of the peace, and we must make clear that until its goals of conquest are absolutely renounced and its relations with all nations tempered communism and the governments it now controls are enemies of every man on earth who is or wants to be free Now, we here in America can keep the peace only if we remain vigilant and only if we remain strong Only if we keep our eyes open and keep our guard up can we prevent war. And i want to make this abundantly clear: i don 't intend to let peace or freedom be torn from our grasp because of lack of strength or lack of will --and that I promise you, Americans I believe that we must look beyond the defense of freedom today to its extension tomorrow. i believe that the communism which boasts it will bury us will, instead give way to the forces of freedom. and i can see in the distant and yet recognizable
strength, by using it in the Formosa Straits and in Lebanon and by showing it courageously at all times. It was during those Republican years that the thrust of Communist imperialism was blunted. It was during those years of Republican leadership that this world moved closer, not to war, but closer to peace, than at any other time in the last three decades. And I needn't remind you -- but I will -- that it's been during Democratic years that our strength to deter war has stood still, and even gone into a planned decline. It has been during Democratic years that we have weakly stumbled into conflict, timidly refusing to draw our own lines against aggression, deceitfully refusing to tell even our people of our full participation, and tragically, letting our finest men die on battlefields, unmarked by purpose, unmarked by pride or the prospect of victory. Yesterday, it was Korea. Tonight, it is Vietnam. Make no bones of this. Don't try to sweep this under the rug. We are at war in Vietnam. And yet the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of our forces, refuses to say -- refuses to say, mind you, whether or not the objective over there is victory. And his Secretary of Defense continues to mislead and misinform the American people, and enough of it has gone by. And I needn't remind you -- but I will -- it has been during Democratic years that a billion persons were cast into Communist captivity and their fate cynically sealed. Today -- Today in our beloved country we have an administration which seems eager to deal with communism in every coin known -- f rom gold to wheat, f rom consulates to confidences, and even human f reedom itself . Now the Republican cause demands that we brand communism as the principal disturber of peace in the world today. Indeed, we should brand it as the only significant disturber of the peace, and we must make clear that until its goals of conquest are absolutely renounced and its relations with all nations tempered, communism and the governments it now controls are enemies of every man on earth who is or wants to be f ree. Now, we here in America can keep the peace only if we remain vigilant and only if we remain strong. Only if we keep our eyes open and keep our guard up can we prevent war. And I want to make this abundantly clear: I don't intend to let peace or freedom be torn f rom our grasp because of lack of strength or lack of will -- and that I promise you, Americans. I believe that we must look beyond the defense of f reedom today to its extension tomorrow. I believe that the communism which boasts it will bury us will, instead, give way to the forces of freedom. And I can see in the distant and yet recognizable
future the outlines of a world worthy of our dedication, our every risk, our every effort, our every sacrif ice along the way. Yes a world that will redeem the suffering of those who will be liberated from tyranny. i can see - and i suggest that a thoughtful men must contemplate - the f lowering of an Atlantic civilization, the hole of Europe reunif ied and freed, trading openly across its borders communicating openly across the world Now, this is a goal far, far more meaningful than a moon shot. It's a-- It's a truly inspiring goal for all free men to set for themselves during the latter half of the twentieth century I can also see - and all free men must thrill to - the events of this atlantic ivilization joined by its great ocean highway to the United States. What a destiny What a destiny can be ours to stand as a great central pillar linking Europe, the Americas, and the venerable and vital peoples and cultures of the pacif ic. I can see a day when all the Americas, North and South will be linked in a mighty system, a system in which the errors and misunderstandings of the past will be submerged one by one in a rising tide of prosperity and interdependence. We know that the misunderstand ings of centuries are not to be wiped away in a day or wiped away in an hour. But we pledge, we pledge that human sympathy --w hat our neighbors to he South call an attitude of simpatico"--no less than enlightened self-interest will be our g And i can see this Atlantic civilization galvanizing and guiding emergent nations everywhere. Now I know this freedom is not the fruit of every soil. i know that our ow n freedom was achieved throug h centuries, by unremitting efforts of brave and wise men. And i know that the road to freedom is a long and a challenging road. and i know also that some men may walk away from it, that some men resist challenge, accepting the false security of governmental paternalism And I - And i pledge that the America I envis ion in the years ahead will extend its hand in hea lth, in teaching and in cultivation, so that all new nations will be at least encouraged --encoura ged!--to go our way, so that they will not wander down the dark alleys of tyranny or the dead-end streets of collectivism My fellow Republicans, we do no man a service by hiding freedom's light under a bushel of mistaken humility I seek an America proud of its past proud of its ways, proud of its dreams, and determined actively to proclaim them But our example to the world must, like charity, begin at home
future the outlines of a world worthy of our dedication, our every risk, our every effort, our every sacrifice along the way. Yes, a world that will redeem the suffering of those who will be liberated f rom tyranny. I can see -- and I suggest that all thoughtful men must contemplate -- the flowering of an Atlantic civilization, the whole of Europe reunified and f reed, trading openly across its borders, communicating openly across the world. Now, this is a goal far, far more meaningful than a moon shot. It's a -- It's a truly inspiring goal for all f ree men to set for themselves during the latter half of the twentieth century. I can also see -- and all f ree men must thrill to -- the events of this Atlantic civilization joined by its great ocean highway to the United States. What a destiny! What a destiny can be ours to stand as a great central pillar linking Europe, the Americas, and the venerable and vital peoples and cultures of the Pacific. I can see a day when all the Americas, North and South, will be linked in a mighty system, a system in which the errors and misunderstandings of the past will be submerged one by one in a rising tide of prosperity and interdependence. We know that the misunderstandings of centuries are not to be wiped away in a day or wiped away in an hour. But we pledge, we pledge that human sympathy -- what our neighbors to the South call an attitude of "simpatico" -- no less than enlightened self'-interest will be our guide. And I can see this Atlantic civilization galvanizing and guiding emergent nations everywhere. Now I know this f reedom is not the fruit of every soil. I know that our own f reedom was achieved through centuries, by unremitting efforts of brave and wise men. And I know that the road to f reedom is a long and a challenging road. And I know also that some men may walk away f rom it, that some men resist challenge, accepting the false security of governmental paternalism. And I -- And I pledge that the America I envision in the years ahead will extend its hand in health, in teaching and in cultivation, so that all new nations will be at least encouraged -- encouraged! -- to go our way, so that they will not wander down the dark alleys of tyranny or the dead-end streets of collectivism. My fellow Republicans, we do no man a service by hiding f reedom's light under a bushel of mistaken humility. I seek an America proud of its past, proud of its ways, proud of its dreams, and determined actively to proclaim them. But our example to the world must, like charity, begin at home