What was Richard Nixon’s famous speech about?

NATIONAL Dogs in Politics day is a real day celebrated on September 23 in the United States, and it’s all thanks to former President Richard Nixon and his dog, Checkers.

Nixon made a speech about his family dog once, which led to the day being established and may have helped him stay on the presidential ticket with Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Richard Nixon had a family dog named Checkers, pictured here

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Richard Nixon had a family dog named Checkers, pictured hereCredit: Getty – Contributor

Who was Richard Nixon?

Nixon served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 to 1974.

Before that, he served as a senator and representative of California. He went on to become Vice President from 1953 to 1962.

He was born in Southern California. He graduated from Duke University School of Law, 1937. After that, he entered politics and law.

He was married to Pat Ryan and they shared two daughters together — Patricia “Tricia” Nixon and Julie Nixon.

What was Richard Nixon’s famous speech about?

Nixon once made a famous speech called the Checkers speech. It involved a dog he gave to his daughter Tricia as a baby.

In 1952, he delivered the historic half-hour speech in which he tried to answer for charges against him regarding the abuse of political expense funds, according to ABC-10.

In the speech, Nixon worked to “defend his usage of political funds by appealing to the middle class,” the outlet noted. He made it clear that he intended to keep one gift regardless of what happens: Checkers, who was given to his family by a voter.

He gave a speech in 1952 that mentioned the dog that became known as the "Checkers speech"

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He gave a speech in 1952 that mentioned the dog that became known as the “Checkers speech”Credit: Getty – Contributor

“A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention that our two youngsters would like to have a dog, and, believe it or not, the day we left before 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?” he said during the televised speech viewed on TV or heard over the radio by 60 million people.

“It was a little cocker spaniel dog, in a crate that he had sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted, and our little girl Tricia, the 6-year-old, named it Checkers,” He shared the details.

“And you know, the kids, like all kids, loved the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it.”

Nixon was immediately admired by the public for his speech. According to reports, the Republican National Committee received many calls from support to keep him on the presidential ticket with Eisenhower. He did and the pair won the election.

Now, National Today reports that people celebrate The First Dog of the United States (FDOTUS) on National Dogs in Politics Day on September 23 — the same day Nixon gave his speech all those years ago.

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