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Historians love to point out dogs' ability to humanize even the most remote politician. In 1952, when vice presidential hopeful Richard Nixon was accused of accepting slush fund contributions from California supporters, Nixon gave an emotional (some say mawkish) speech in which he referred to his "little dog Checkers," a gift from a backer. He and his family loved this dog so much, he declared, that returning it was unthinkable. The public loved the Checkers reference, and Nixon secured the nomination.