Playing "Checkers"

Yes, there's a swell new piece by Thomas Mallon on Nixon's infamous "Checkers" speech, titled "Wag the Dog."   If you somehow have missed it, here is Part I of the speech below (you can then click for Part II).   Below that see brief fun version (h/t @samknight1). Who can forget Pat's "respectable Republican cloth coat." As I've noted before, this marked the first crucial use of TV to save a candidacy.   Should Romney have tried this? Well, he sure couldn't use HIS dog as a prop.  And can't imagine him saying, "And Ann has a respectable Republican Cadillac and...she's gonna keep it." 

Also see my book on his dirty tricks Senate race two years earlier vs. Helen Gahagan Douglas, Tricky Dick and the Pink Lady.   And play about the Checkers speech debuted in New York last fall with Anthony LaPaglia as Nixon.