How a Cocker Spaniel Saved Richard M. Nixon’s Political Career

Charges of political impropriety are made and dismissed every day. Nancy Pelosi pops up regularly with some new accusation against a GOP candidate. I think she just misses the cameras and the lights…

There are many interesting moments in history that you’ve heard of but know little about. This may be one of them.

Checkers and Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon, junior senator from California and candidate for Vice President, was in political quicksand based on the charge that he was improperly accepting gifts. Here’s what Senator Nixon said in his September 23, 1952 televised response to the accusation:

“A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two daughters would like to have a dog. And believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was? It was a little cocker spaniel in a crate that he sent all the way from Texas…. And our little girl, Tricia, the six-year-old, named it Checkers. And you know the kids love the dog and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they [the Press] have to say about it, we are going to keep it.”

This speech later became known as the Checkers speech, saved Nixon’s political career, and made Checkers one of the most famous dogs in political history. Most of us have heard of the “Checkers Speech” but did you know the content? Well, now you know.

Maybe the GOP presidential candidates need mascots. Any suggestions on breed?

The Election, the Speech, and a Hand-Knitted Dress

Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Nixon as his running mate in 1952. A man of modest means (at the time), Nixon had a group of backers who raised funds to help his political career. This was not illegal but the Nancy Pelosi’s of the day were doing their best to trump up a reason to get Nixon’s name off the ticket and topple Eisenhower’s bid for the presidency.

Pat Nixon in a hand-knitted dress.

The Checker’s speech brought in so much support that Nixon stayed on the ticket and weeks later Eisenhower won the election and both houses of Congress moved into Republican control. As one might expect, response to the speech came along party lines. But the millions of cards and letters sent on behalf of Nixon built a middle-American base of support that would stay with him for the rest of his career.

Pat Nixon appeared beside Richard during the speech wearing a dress hand knitted by supporters. During the speech Nixon gave every excruciating detail of their personal finance history. This is how he wrapped it up:

“Well, that’s about it. That’s what we have and that’s what we owe. It isn’t very much but Pat and I have the satisfaction that every dime that we’ve got is honestly ours. I should say this—that Pat doesn’t have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat. And I always tell her that she’d look good in anything.”

It is reported that Checkers’ remains were exhumed three years after Nixon died and placed near the graves of the late president and his wife.

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How times have changed

When Nixon was a Senator his congressional expense budget only paid for one set of round-trip tickets between Washington, D.C. and California for he and his family each Congressional session. Didn’t Nancy Pelosi have her own private jumbo jet?

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