We equip students and teachers to live the ideals of a free and just society. She went on to become the first black person elected to Congress from Texas since Reconstruction. The most accurate AI-powered transcription on the market. While in Congress, one of Jordan's most famous actions was the 15-minute televised speech she gave to the members of the House Judiciary Committee during the Nixon impeachment hearings, on July 25, 1974. It was 144 years ago that members of the Democratic Party first met in convention to select a presidential candidate. And these are principles which are not negotiable. We believe that the government, which represents the authority of all the people, not just one interest group, but all the people, has an obligation to actively underscore, actively seek to remove those obstacles, which would block individual achievement. But what we can do is defined new ways to implement that system and realize our destiny. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy. Become a freelancer and work on your own terms. ", The Carolina ratification convention impeachment criteria: those are impeachable "who behave amiss or betray their public trust. Only two years later, Jordan delivered her speech to introduce the idea of impeachment to her colleagues and to the American public. In her speech, she mentions that though the Constitution laid by Washington and Hamilton included the phrase "We, the people", they forget to include her. Omissions? Apart from being an advocate she was also very much involved in politics and was a head of Civil Rights Movement. Molly Ivins, "Barbara Jordan, Closing the Gap in Perception," Los Angeles Times, 8 September 1991. Moreover, the President has made public announcements and assertions bearing the Watergate case, which the evidence will show he knew to be false. Explore our upcoming webinars, events and programs. Mr. Chairman, I join my colleague Mr. Rangel in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. And during that time, it would have been most unusual for any national political party to ask a Barbara Jordan to deliver a keynote address. A government is invigorated when each one of us is willing to participate in shaping the future of this nation. The Best Speech-to-Text Solution for Your Business Learn how Rev fits into your businesses workflow. We do not reject our traditions, but we are willing to adapt to changing circumstances when change we must. There is no law that can require the American people to form a national community. The speech is considered to be one of the greatest speeches in . I do not mean political parties in that sense. Read the transcript of her speech here. Barbara Jordan: (11:17) Congress has a lot to do: Appropriations, Tax Reform, Health Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, Housing, Environmental Protection, Energy Sufficiency, Mass Transportation. Mr. Chairman, you are a strong man, and it has not been easy but we have tried as best we can to give you as much assistance as possible. We know that the President met with Mr. Henry Petersen twenty-seven times to discuss matters related to Watergate, and immediately thereafter met with the very persons who were implicated in the information Mr. Petersen was receiving and transmitting to the President. They did not make the accusers and the judges the same person. "It is chiefly designed for the president and his high ministers" to somehow be called into account. Barbara Jordan: (06:01) Richard M. Nixon was televised nationwide. Barbara Jordan: (10:47) There has not even been an obfuscated indication that this committee would receive any additional materials from the President. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. One writer lamented that Jordan's booming voice, with its thundering call to principles enshrined in the Constitution, was "a song of the past."7. 5. Barbara Jordan: (02:11) What did Representative Jordan imply when she brought up the idea of pain in her first sentence? Chairman: (00:04) Get a weekly digest of the weeks most important transcripts in your inbox. As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. What is a Constitution? Make your content more accessible to people with disabilities. We know that the President met with Mr. Henry Petersen twenty-seven times to discuss matters related to Watergate and immediately thereafter met with the very persons who were implicated in the information Mr. Petersen was receiving. Barbara Jordan: (01:20) Today I am an inquisitor. Franics X. Clines, "Barbara Jordan Dies at 59; Her Voice Stirred the Nation," There is no executive order. We know about the Houston plan. July 25, 1974. The division between the two branches of the legislature, the House and the Senate, assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge, the framers of this Constitution were very astute. Beginning shortly after the Watergate break-in and continuing to the present time, the President has engaged in a series of public statements and actions designed to, James Madison, again at the constitutional convention: A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.. "The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men." , ept more personal shots, like baby pictures, in photo albums that usually remained on a shelf.B. Let all understand that these guiding principles cannot be discarded for short term political gains. I have that confidence. Barbara Jordan: (00:15) There has not even been an obfuscated indication that this committee would receive any additional materials from the President. 2. And if the President wants to supply that material, the committee sits here. The nature of impeachment: a narrowly channeled exception to the separation-of-powers maxim. On July 25, 1974, Representative Barbara Jordan delivered a powerful speech at the Richard Nixon Impeachment Hearings. Her keynote address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention confirmed her reputation as one of the most commanding and articulate public speakers of her era. The powers relating to impeachment are an essential check in the hands of the body of the legislature against and upon the encroachments of the executive. In other words, the, Prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community, said Hamilton in the, The drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment; but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term, high crimes and misdemeanors., Of the impeachment process, it was Woodrow Wilson who said that nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness. Barbara Jordan, 10/18/1976. People want more. , ditional film and typically kept more personal shots, like baby pictures, in photo albums that usually remained on a shelf.B. And that's what we're talking about. On July 12, 1976, Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. "No one need be afraid"the North Carolina ratification convention"No one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity." (Remember: The passage, additional sample questions, and answer explanations can be found in Chapter 9.) The Constitution charges the President with the task of taking care that the laws be faithfully executed, and yet the President has counseled his aides to commit perjury, willfully disregard the secrecy of grand jury proceedings, conceal surreptitious entry, attempt to compromise a federal judge, while publicly displaying his cooperation with the processes of criminal justice. Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Texas) speaks at the House Judiciary Committee hearings on Watergate, ", Statement at the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings, Support American RadioWorks with your Amazon.com purchases. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the. If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that eighteenth century Constitution should be abandoned to a twentieth century paper shredder. Achieving National Stature. Well I am going to close my speech by quoting a Republican President and I ask you that as you listen to these words of Abraham Lincoln, relate them to the concept of a national community in which every last one of us participates: Jordan soared into the national spotlight on July 25, 1974, with a speech that established her as a moral and political force and defender of the Constitution and the rule of law. We know about the Houston plan. It is designed to "bridle" the Executive if he engages in excesses. For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future. Although she acquired a reputation as an effective legislator, Jordan did not become a national figure until 1974 during the Watergate scandal, when her participation in the hearings held by the House Judiciary Committee on the impeachment of U.S. Pres. We know that. "It is to be used only for great misdemeanors," so it was said in the North Carolina ratification convention. A constitution sets out how all the elements of government are organised and how power is carved up among differen t political units. Indignation so great as to overgrow party interest may secure a conviction, but nothing else can. Common sense would be revolted, if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. . And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution. Transcripts & captions for a better media workflow. Thus option (A) is correct. Barbara Jordan and Shelby Hearon, Barbara Jordan: A Self Portrait (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1979), 184. In her speech, she mentions that though the Constitution laid by Washington and Hamilton included the phrase "We, the people", they forget to include her. In other times, I could stand here and give this kind of exposition on the beliefs of the Democratic Party and that would be enough. The Federal Convention of 1787 said that. We know about the break-in of the psychiatrists office. Thank you. Students can listen through a close reading lens documenting parts of Jordan's speech that they felt were convincing. In methodical and determined tones, she unfolded the constitutional standards that President Nixon had appeared to have violated. But when that document was completed, on the seventeenth of September in 1787, I was not included in that "We, the people." We have to do that. Full transcript of Representative Barbara Jordans Keynote Speech at the 1976 DNC on July 12, 1976. But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in "We, the people.". Jordan died in 1996 from pneumonia, a complication of leukemia. They have often turned to the Democratic Party. More is required. Watch Barbara Jordan's 1976 Democratic National Convention speech on YouTube: TOPICS: History TAGS: 2016 election , barbara jordan , democratic national convention , michelle obama It is designed to "bridle" the executive if he engages in excesses. But when that document was completed on the 17th of September in 1787, I was not included in that We the people. Ive felt somehow, for many years, that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. It limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors and discounted and opposed the term "maladministration." Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. But today, that is not enough. President Nixon resigned from office on August 7, 1973. She mentioned that about 144 years ago that the members of the Democratic Party first met in convention to select a presidential candidate; since then, the democrats have continued to meet once every four years and nominate a presidential candidate. We know that there was absolute complete direction on September 3rd when the president indicated that a surreptitious entry had been made into Dr. The New York Times described her oratory as "Churchillian," and one writer suggested that her deep, Olympian sound could galvanize listeners "as though Winston Churchill had been reincarnated as a black woman from Texas. When we read the speech given by Barbara Jordan we can easily make out that . I join in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. ", James Madison again at the Constitutional Convention: "A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.". Mr. Chairman, I join my colleague, Mr. Wrangell, in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. She attended Texas Southern University in Houston, becoming a member of the debate team that tied Harvard University in a debateone of her proudest college moments. "The reaction from the other committee members was: 'You must be out of your head.' Barbara Jordan: (19:10) She went to great lengths to fit in and sought advice on committee assignments. Our concept of governing is derived from our view of people. Create a better, more engaging experience for every student. The fact is that on yesterday, the American people waited with great anxiety for eight hours, not knowing whether their President would obey an order of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is chiefly designed for the President and his high ministers to somehow be called into account. We contribute to teachers and students by providing valuable resources, tools, and experiences that promote civic engagement through a historical framework. On July 24, 1974, she made this statement to the House Judiciary Committee regarding the impeachment of President Richard Nixon. Barbara Jordan emerged as an eloquent and powerful interpreter of the Watergate impeachment investigation at a time when many Americans despaired about the Constitution and the country. We need to take to heart the words spoken by Thomas Jefferson, Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and that affection without which liberty, and even life, are but dreary things.. Two days after Jordan delivered this speech, the House Judiciary Committee recommended impeachment. Even as I stand here and admit that we have made mistakes, I still believe that as the people of America sit in judgment on each party, they will recognize that our mistakes were mistakes of the heart. In our haste to do all things for all people, we did not foresee the full consequences of our actions. "4 Beginning shortly after the Watergate break-in and continuing to the present time, the President has engaged in a series of public statements and actions designed to thwart the lawful investigation by government prosecutors. What was the purpose of Barbara Jordans speech? Congress has a lot to do: The Constitution charges the President with the task of taking care that the laws be faithfully executed, and yet the President has counseled his aides to commit, Nixon Tapes: The Smoking Gun Tape, 1972, http://watergate.info/1974/07/25/barbara-jordan-speech-on-impeachment.html, Barbara Jordan, Speech on Impeachment, July 25, 1974, Earlier today, we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, We, the people. It is a very eloquent beginning. Two kinds may be distinguished: 1) Immediate juxtaposition occurs when the second consonant sound follows right after the first -- back-to-back such as, "I need a b igger . The division between the two branches of the Legislature, the House and the Senate, assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge, the Framers of this Constitution were very astute. Of the impeachment process, it was Woodrow Wilson who said that, Nothing short of the grossest offenses against the plain law of the land will suffice to give them speed and effectiveness. Transcribe your audio files to find high-impact insights in minutes. This, my friends, is the bedrock of our concept of governing. The framers confined in the Congress the power if need be, to remove the president in order to strike a delicate balance between a president swollen with power and grown tyrannical, and preservation of the independence of the executive. *Barbara wanted to have freedom for everyone. 4. What stood out about Jordans speech was how she used the Constitution to support her claim for articles of impeachment against Nixon, as opposed to making it a partisan affair. Consider, for instance, the following question from the Barbara Jordan speech we discussed in Chapter 6. Despite her absence from Washington, D.C., she remained influential in political affairs. Jordan was the youngest of three daughters in a close-knit family. The remarks are often cited as one of the great examples of American political oratory. What stood out about Jordan's speech was how she used the Constitution to support her claim for articles of impeachment against Nixon, as opposed to making it a partisan affair. Its tough, difficult, not easy, but a spirit of harmony will survive in America only if each of us remembers that we share a common destiny. That's the question. The most accurate AI-powered transcription on the market. As a first step, we must restore our belief in ourselves. It's a very eloquent beginning. And I ask you that as you listen to these words of Abraham Lincoln relate them to the concept of a national community in which every last one of us participates. ", The Carolina ratification convention impeachment criteria: those are impeachable "who behave amiss or betray their public trust. The Bill of Rights Institute teaches civics. In that year also she published Barbara Jordan, a Self-Portrait. More is required of public officials than slogans and handshakes and press releases. Because we believe this idea so firmly, we are an inclusive rather than an exclusive party. The President had knowledge that these funds were being paid and these were funds collected for the 1972 presidential campaign. ", Justice Story: "Impeachment is intended for occasional and extraordinary cases where a superior power acting for the whole people is put into operation to protect their rights and rescue their liberties from violations.". The fact is that on yesterday, the American people waited with great anxiety for eight hours, not knowing whether their President would obey an order of the Supreme Court of the United States. There is no way to improve upon that. Not only was Jordan one of the younger members of the Judiciary Committee, she was also one of the few women. The government must remove them, seek to remove them. It is a concept deeply rooted in a set of beliefs firmly etched in the national conscience of all of us. Build with the best speech-to-text APIs around. We've been talking about it awhile now. Use this primary source text to explore key historical events. "We divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused." A.In the past, people took plenty of photographs using traditional film and typically kept more personal shots, lik What that recital of the evidence this morning did not include is what the President did know on June the 23rd, 1972. It is hypocritical for the public official to admonish and exhort the people to uphold the common good if we are derelict in upholding the common good. 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