Just Plain Dick
Richard Nixons Checkers Speech and the Rocking, Socking Election of 1952

Abehind-the-sceneslook at one of the most famous campaign speechesRichard Nixons Checkers speech, to be published on its sixtieth anniversary It all started with some businessmen bankrolling Richard Nixon to become a salesman against socialization. But in this precursor to current campaign finance scandals, Nixon had some explaining to do to keep his place on Eisenhowers Republican ticket, so he took to the airwaves. In making his speech, Nixon left behind lines about a Republican cloth coat and a black-and-white cocker spaniel named Checkers. The speech saved and bolstered Nixons political career and set the tone for the 1952 campaign. Just Plain Dickis political history and more. Its the story of a young man nearing a nervous breakdown and staging a political comeback. While the narrative focuses tightly, almost cinematically, on the 1952 election cyclefrom the spring primary season to the summer conventions, from the allegations against Nixon through to the speech in September and finally the election in NovemberMattson also provides a broad-stroke depiction of American politics and culture during the Cold War. Readers will see Nixons contribution to current campaign styles. Here is a story of phony populism, a hatred of elites (tagged eggheads back then), and emotionally charged appeals erasing a rational assessment of a politicians qualifications. An entertaining and suspenseful read,Just Plain Dickis ideal election context for political junkies and those fascinated with 1950s America.