The future president disliked the fact that the address soon became popularly known as the "Checkers speech". In his 1962 book, Six Crises (the Fund crisis being one of the six), he would object to the term, "as though the mention of my dog was the only thing that saved my political career". Nixon preferred to call the address "the Fund speech," and made it required reading for his speechwriters. As time passed, the Checkers speech became denigrated, and Nixon biographer Earl Mazo suggested that much of the attitude of "I don't like Nixon, but I don't know why," which contributed to the failure of his 1960 presidential run, can be traced to the Checkers speech. Other commentators suggested that had he not made the Checkers speech, Nixon might have won in 1960. Nixon retorted that without the Checkers speech, he would not have been around to run in 1960. Checkers died in 1964 and was buried in Wantagh, New York, at Long Island's Bide-A-Wee Pet Cemetery. William Safire described the adoption of "Checkers speech" as an idiom, used to refer to any emotionally charged speech by a politician. In 1999, 137 scholars of American public address were asked to recommend speeches for inclusion on a list of "the 100 best American political speeches of the 20th century," based on "social and political impact, and rhetorical artistry". This speech placed 6th on the list. Despite the many criticisms of the speech in later years, Hal Bochin (who wrote a book about Nixon's rhetoric) suggests that Nixon succeeded at the time because of his use of narrative, spinning a story which resonated with the public: See also 1952 United States presidential election References Explanatory notes Citations Bibliography Other sources (Consumer bundle) Further reading Text and audio mp3 of the speech from AmericanRhetoric.com Video and entire transcript from Watergate.info "Checkers Speech" Part 1 At YouTube, which may properly host it as the Checkers speech was aired without a copyright notice and is not copyrighted. "Checkers Speech" Part 2 At YouTube 1952 in Los Angeles 1952 in American politics 1952 United States presidential election 1952 speeches September 1952 events in the United States Animals in politics Political scandals in the United States Speeches by Richard Nixon