As a vice presidential candidate in 1952, Nixon was accused of illegally accepting gifts from businessmen totaling eighteen thousand dollars. Dwight Eisenhower seemed ready to drop him from the ticket, when Nixon went on television to save his career. He defended himself and spoke about a dog that supporters had given him. "And our little girl Tricia, the six-year old, named it 'Checkers.' You know the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I just want to say that right now, and regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it."
