 The Checkers speech or Fund speech was an address made on September 23 , 1952 , by the Republican candidate for vice president of the United States , California Senator Richard Nixon . Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his backers to reimburse him for his political expenses . With his place on the Republican ticket in doubt , he flew to Los Angeles and delivered a half @-@ hour television address in which he defended himself , attacked his opponents , and urged the audience to contact the Republican National Committee ( RNC ) to tell it whether he should remain on the ticket . During the speech , he stated that regardless of what anyone said , he intended to keep one gift : a black @-@ and @-@ white dog who had been named Checkers by the Nixon children , thus giving the address its popular name . 
