White House Pets - Checkers

on Mar 19, 2007

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Richard Nixon's dog, Checkers, is perhaps one of the most famous canines in political history as he is credited by some as saving the political career of then vice-presidential candidate Nixon.

His "Checkers speech" was given on September 23, 1952, when he was the candidate Vice President. The speech was one of the first political uses of television to appeal directly to the populace. Nixon had been accused of accepting $18,000 in illegal campaign contributions and used the address to reveal the results of an independent audit which completely exonerated him.

The one contribution he admitted receiving was from a Texas traveling salesman named Lou Carrol who gave his family a cocker spaniel, which his daughter named "Checkers." Nixon admitted that this gift could be made into an issue by some, but maintained that he didn't care, stating "the kids, like all kids, love the dog and I just want to say this right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it."