The Checkers speech or fund speech was an address on September 23rd, 1952, by Senator Richard Nixon, six weeks before the 1952 Presidential election. Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. His place on the Republican ticket was in doubt so he flew to Los Angeles to deliver a thirty- minute television address in which he defended himself, attacked his opponents, and urged the audience to contact the Republican National Committee concerning whether he should stay on the ticket. He said he was going to keep one gift he received; a black and white Cocker Spaniel whose name was given to the dog by his children. The name was "Checkers," thus the name of his famous speech.