Love it or hate it this speech is kind of an UR speech for thousands of political speeches since then. The reminding of the humble upbringing; using your family as a prop; the spontaneous letter of praise from a random constituent; the use of "I'm not accusing my opponents of anything - I'm just asking questions on many an American's mind". If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then politicians of both parties since then have praised this speech.
the speech that put Richard Nixon on the map! it deserves to be just as remembered as his speech 22 years later when he left the White House for the last time.
What's interesting is that Nixon had an $18k fund to pay for expenses. The Democrat candidate, Adlai Stevenson, had a similar fund - except that his fund had more than EIGHT times as much - $146,000. And according to Wikipedia, here's what Stevenson spent his slush fund on: "Christmas gifts to reporters, dues for private clubs, and to hire an orchestra for a dance his son was hosting." The press knew about Stevenson's slush fund. Nothing happened with it, or with Stevenson. The media's been covering for Democrat theft for decades!
I was 4 years old when this happened, but I remember it. I lived in LA, and my mom hated Nixon. Ike wanted to dump him, but this speech got so much public sympathy that Ike forgave him. By today's standards, if he took any money at all, it was pocket change. He claimed the only thing he kept personally was a dog named Checkers. When he ran for president in 1968, Checkers had recently died. Although he was considered a crook, he was very honest compared to today's Teabaggers!
He’s a saint by comparison to most everyone running the nation today. The more I look into Nixon’s actual record vs. what his opponents and those in the media said about him, the more I’m convinced he was actually a decent president. Sure, he certainly had his flaws, but they seem to be pretty consistent with those of most others in the era.
@@lucastheworldis1336Nixon had a much more liberal policy than Trump, even for his time. He created the EPA and OSHA, and lobbied for cleaner air, something Trump would absolutely not do. He also had a successful foreign policy with being able to open up relations to China and using that to calm tensions with Russia. Say what you want about the fella but comparing him to Trump is stupid.
You used the right word. Richard Nixon earned the nickname "Tricky Dick" because of his reputation for being cunning, politically shrewd, and occasionally using questionable tactics. The nickname bubbled up during his political career and continued, particularly during the Watergate scandal, which ultimately led to his downfall and resignation as President of the United States.
Speakers yes. President no. Aside from Watergate and botching Vietnam, I cant forgive his giving us the DEA, EPA and ATF, three of the worst agencies in America. He also began thr process of normalizing relations with China. Something he is celebrated for but is increasingly costing Americans in ways they could not imagine
@@bk2524 Botching Vietnam? I disagree. He used Operation Linebacker and Linebacker II to bring the North Vietnamese to the table. He then negaotiated a cease fire that stayed in place unti the NVA violated it during the Ford administration, who did nothing.
This speech was an early example of how to use TV in politics. He wrote about it in his books. Earlier Governor Tom Dewey had called him, using the code name of Mr. Chapman. Some of Eisenhower's advisers wanted him to end the speech by resigning from the ticket. But he didn't take that route. Afterwards he was upset for not timing the speech better. It ended before he could give the address of the RNC. One of my college textbooks mentioned his call for Stevenson and Sparkman to reveal their financial history. It disagreed with him saying refusal would mean having something to hide. This speech led to them and Eisenhower opening up about their finances. Over the years Nixon's relationship with TV would prove to be good, bad, and ugly at different times.
Sen. Nixon was disturbed that Ike wasn't defending him. That's why he asked that letters of support be sent to the RNC, demonstrating that he was the GOP's nominee for the Vice Presidency, not just as Ike's choice as his running mate. Nixon always referred to this as the Fund Speech, not the Checkers Speech. We'll always know Trisha's age. RN said in this speech given in 1952 that she was "the 6 year old."
Great speech, should be required viewing for all of the Nixon haters. "Why can't we have prosperity built on peace, instead of prosperity built on war?" Wow, can you imagine one of today's so-called "conservatives" (save for Patrick Buchanan) making that kind of statement?!
@@strawberrypancake2866 Sad times. Upon taking office, LBJ immediately reversed JFK's direction on de-escalation. I believe that there are still land mines over there. US vets have been all but forgotten. PTSD sometimes takes decades to hit hard.
This is very sad and deeply ironic. His first jolt of popularity came from his incredible transparency, and yet he became reviled because of a cover-up. His 1960 loss and the later loss in the California Governor race shattered him, he was never the same afterward. I wish we had THIS President! Thanks for posting this!
Makes you wonder how things would have turned out if Nixon told the public about Watergate immediately after he found out. He probably would have saved his presidency but the odds are good that the CIA would have gone after him
Interesting to note that just prior to giving this speech, he was told that Ike wanted him to resign but previously said that he would wait about 5 days to make that decision after responses from the voting public. By suggesting that voters respond directly to the Republican National Committee, Nixon realized that Ike's decision would be based on those responses and not by his immediate circle of political cohorts.
What's amazing about this speech is what he wrote about in his first book, Six Crises (which was very good). In it, he wrote about how he came out and fully disclosed everything, *showing* people that he had no "secret fund" at all, and, thus, showing no corruption at all. But, as he noticed in his book, the *silence* that accompanied Adlai Stevenson (General Eisenhower's and his opponent) on this question. Meaning: Adlai Steven DID have a "secret fund" of (yes) wealthy donors, and this wasn't largely pursued by the press (fancy that). So, if there were ever any "corruption" , arguably....the questions SHOULD have been asked of *Mr. Stevenson* and not (later) VP and President Nixon. So, there you go: the "rest of the story."
1:55 "it isn't question of whether it was legal or illegal that isn't enough the question is was it morally *_wrong_* I say that it was morally wrong if any of that eighteen thousand dollars went to Senator Nixon for my personal use"
You could draw alot of similarities from this speech saving Nixon’s candidacy of Vice President to Donald Trump’s Access Hollywood Apology statement video saving his Presidency in October before the election of 2016.
Today old cars are so popular today, it's true Tricky Dick owned a1950 Oldsmobile. TRUE. Yep! One of Nixon's few redeeming qualities was automobile ownership. Here's the quote, from the famous speech. '' I have just $4,000 in life insurance, plus my G.I. policy which I've never been able to convert and which will run out in two years. I have no insurance whatever on Pat. I have no life insurance on our our youngsters, Patricia and Julie. I own a 1950 Oldsmobile car.''
the republican national committee and the senatorial congressional campaign committee pledged to pay the $75,000 for the air time, but apparently, according to six crises, "the letters flowed in after the telegrams, and enough small contributions came in by letter and wire to more than cover the $75,000 cost of the telecast" after the speech was given.
@@chrisjones4389 FDR, Truman Ike, JFK, LBJ Their campaigns all did it. Nixon did 2 things that caused Democrats to Hate him. 1. He Defeated (Hard Left) Helen Gahagan Douglas, 3. Exposed Alger Hiss.
Back when hogs weren't threatened by poc this was a big scandal among their circles. Now it's viewed as somehow fair game to be crooked. How they have spiraled downwards since then.
For my part I think this was a very honest speech at the time. I’ve heard it said that his loss in 1960 turned him into to what he became later in life. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I think he was still a standup guy when he gave the speech.
@@jeremysnow3614 Nixon was a scumbag rasict. Who only cared about power and money. He forgot he was a president not a dictator. He was Allen Dulles puppet boy.
@@jeremysnow3614 Talk to Helen Gahagen Douglas House, race opponent, and his Senate race opponent (whose name I’d have to look up too long ago). They might change your mind about Nixon’s honesty at that time.
@L N I was alive for his entire administration; I don't think I ever heard her speak. She was pretty quiet, and likely shy. You can see why Nixon made a great attorney. Plus it's pretty funny how he gets his digs in on the Democrats, who were fairly corrupt after 20 years in power.
@AwwesomeVal The problem is how it looks if she is on the payroll; then she can be accused of doing nothing, just a way to funnel the political donations into his pocket. There may be even laws against family members being paid for campaign work.
This was a nationally televised speech, if you’re being serious. Long before the web was a a thing. He turned out to be the crook he denied being in this speech.
