Mystified by Sarah Palin? Watch The Checkers Speech

[SoDesuKa]

If you're mystified by Sarah Palin, watch Nixon's 1953 speech defending himself from bribery charges. The money shot is about 1:25 into the clip - Nixon proclaims that regardless of what the critics say about it, his family will keep the black and white dog they got as a gift. Nixon suppresses a self-satisfied grin at the line, pauses, then returns to his prepared text.

Nixon rescued his political career with the Checkers speech. Today we watch it with amazement that he got away with its mawkishness. We're also amazed that Sarah Palin gets away with the same lowbrow appeal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhQD2UFCIbY

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Logical fallacies called Appeal to the Emotions and Appeal to the Public.

Whenever you're losing an argument with the facts at hand, you slightly change the subject of the argument and win the "new" argument.

[Skittles]

2. ???

you're equating the feelings people have for their pets to the fucking ignorant feelings teabaggers have for Ms. Palin?

[SoDesuKa]

3. Shamelessly Lowbrow

The Checkers speech showed Nixon to be a true vulgarian. It was a brilliant, karate chop of a speech that forced Eisenhower to keep him on the ticket.

Beware of politicians who can get down low and carry it off. Note especially how Nixon suppresses a smirk right after the "we're keeping him" line. Bush didn't even bother to suppress his smirks.

[lumpy]

4. His phoney sincerety was simply appalling.

egad

[SoDesuKa]

5. A Dominating Political Figure

Nixon remained a dominating political figure even in disgrace. At his funeral, Bob Dole wept openly.

And yes, he was appallingly lowbrow. He gave the Checkers speech over and over again in one form or another throughout his career. He was utterly shameless.