Resignation Speech

This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office where so many decisions have been made that shape the history of this nation. Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matters that I believe affected the national interest. And all the decisions I have made in my public life I have always tried to do what was best for the nation.
Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me.
In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort. As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process, and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future.
But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served. And there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged.
I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. But the interests of the nation must always come before any personal considerations. From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the nation will require. I have never been a quitter.
To leave office before my term is completed is opposed to every instinct in my body. But as President I must put the interests of America first.
America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.
To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home.
Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office.

Watergate  水门事件   

agony  n. 苦恼，极大的痛苦
Unanimously adv.全体一致地,无异议地
quitter n.轻易停止的人, 懦夫
vindication n.辩护, 辩明, 拥护

辞职演讲（尼克松）
(晚上好！)这是我第37次在这里对你们讲话。我曾在这里作过一些对我们这个国家有影响的决定。每次我都与你们讨论一些有关影响国民利益之事。我所做出的这些决定，都力图为国家最高利益服务。
经过漫长而艰难的水门事件，我感觉到，我不得不辞职，尽力尽快结束我的总统工作。
在过去几年里，很明显，我在国会已不再拥有强大的政治基础。只要这种基础还存在，我便会坚决澄清这件事。但现在再做努力已非必要，这样只会使程序更加艰难，也是对继任者的刁难。
由于已经失去政治基础，我没必要拖延这件事。
不管我个人的痛苦有多大，我也宁愿结束它，我家人也这样黯然催促我。但是，国家利益总是要高于个人利益，通过我与国会及其他领导的商议，由于水门事件后，我已经失去了国会的支持，我不得不做出这个艰难的决定，市民也有这个要求，国家利益也要求我这么做。我从来就不是一个半途而废的人。
在我到任之前便离任，我感到浑身的不自在。但作为总统应把国家利益放在首位。
美国需要一位全心全意的总统和全心全意国会，特别是现在我们处于国内外的各种困难时期。
继续几个月前的个人辩护将占去总统和国会几乎所有的时间，而这时我们应该做的却是致力于世界和平及无通货膨胀的国家繁荣。
因此，我决定明天中午正式辞去总统职务，副总统福特将同时在这里宣誓就职。

Resignation Speech mp3