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Nixon’s “Checkers” Speech (1952)

Richard NixonVice-President candidate with Eisenhower39-year-old Freshman Senator from

CaliforniaMember of House’s Un-American

Activities Committee (Communism) Aggressive Investigations

Hero of right wing of Republican party

Nixon’s TroubleNixon was believed to take

$18,000 from a group of California businessmen in exchange for “special favors” when he became Vice-President

Known as “Checkers” Speech?

At end of speech, he said that they did get something- a dog- their six year old daughter named it Checkers and they were going to keep it.

Result of “Checkers” Speech

Nixon was vindicated Gave Nixon unprecedented

publicity Helped win the electionPoliticians who went on television

used it as a political weapon

Kennedy-Nixon 1st DebateKennedy Nixon

1) Prepared for Debate No Preparation2) Tanned (California) Sick (Staph infection)3) Rested before Not Rested-

Campaigning4) Light Make-up “Lazy Shave”-

ineffective5) Suit was Dark Light suit 6) Confident Less self-assured7) Talked to camera Talked to Kennedy

(JFK contrasted with background Nixon didn’t)

Nixon’s Painful LessonImage is everything

“It’s not what you say, but how you look”

John F Kennedy Assassination (1963)

70 hours of uninterrupted, noncommercial television coverage in November 1963

1) Kennedy’s Assassination2) Johnson’s swearing-in ceremony3) Kennedy’s body lying in state in

Washington D.C.4) Ruby killing Oswald5) Kennedy’s funeral

How did coverage effect television?

Due to the continuous coverage television replaced newspapers as the nation’s primary source of information

Cronkite’s Vietnam (1968)Walter CronkiteVeteran newsmanAnchor for CBS Evening News“The most trusted man in

America”

Cronkite’s CriticismFebruary 27, 1968After witnessing Tet Offensive,

Cronkite blamed the government and military for misleading the public.

Fighting an unwinnable war at the expense of “American lives and dignity”

Cronkite’s Advice to Johnson

Due to the military stalemate, Cronkite said the only way out is to negotiate peace.

(It will take five more years to do so)

Cronkite’s Denouncement Effect

Johnson decided not to run for re-election

Cronkite and television had power to sway public opinion and/or strengthen it

Johnson said:“ If I lost Cronkite, I’ve lost middle

America”

Nixon and Watergate (1972-74)

June 17, 1972A break-in at George McGovern’s

Democratic National Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.

“Burglars” connected to NixonTelevision and Radio dramatized testimony Nixon and his administration were seen as

conniving, distrustful, profane and corrupt.

Television’s Role in Watergate

All three networks covered the Watergate hearings in entirety

Magnified the crimes to the public’s eyePublicized evidence: Oval Office tapes,

Presidential aides, friends were subpoenaed

Caused the Fall of Nixon

2000 Presidential ElectionThe Candidates

George W Bush (R) Al Gore (D)

In the closest election in history, a winnerwasn’t determined until Supreme Court ruled in Bush’s favor (5-4) on December 12, 2000.

How the Media lostBroadcast networks had engaged in a

“collective drag race on the crowded highway of democracy.” (Independent CNN report)

Haste to be the first to report results had led them to faulty reporting.

Florida was first called as a Gore state, then a Bush state, then too close to call.

U.S. Supreme Court finally decided election.