Richard Nixon's Checkers Speech
On September 23, 1952, as a candidate for vice president, Richard M. Nixon appears on national television to defend himself against reports that he had taken $18,000 from his supporters for his personal use. In his defense, he denies personal use of any funds, with one exception: the family dog, Checkers, which was given to Nixon as a gift.
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Richard Nixon's Checkers Speech
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On September 23, 1952, as a candidate for vice president, Richard M. Nixon appears on national television to defend himself against reports that he had taken $18,000 from his supporters for his personal use. In his defense, he denies personal use of any funds, with one exception: the family dog, Checkers, which was given to Nixon as a gift.
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JFK Announces Candidacy for Presidency
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In 1960, John F. Kennedy announced his bid for the presidency when a reporter asked him if he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for vice president.
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Johnson Runs for President in 1960
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After weeks of campaigning, Sen. Lyndon Johnson of Texas officially announces his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination at a press conference on July 5, 1960. But by July 14, after a poor first-ballot showing against Sen. John F. Kennedy, Johnson accepted a second-place role, becoming his former rival's running mate.
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Eisenhower's Inaugural Address
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When Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the 34th president of the United States on January 20, 1953, his inaugural address lays out a nine-point plan for achieving world peace.
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John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address
John F. Kennedy's Inaugural AddressAudio Clip (13:54)
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In 1961, on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35th president of the United States. In his first speech as president, Kennedy strikes an inspiring chord.
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Nixon Wins Presidency
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Ronald Reagan on Roe v. Wade
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In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that women, as part of their constitutional right to privacy, could terminate a pregnancy during its first two trimesters. On the 10th anniversary of the ruling, President Ronald Reagan pledges in a radio report to the nation to fight to overturn the landmark case.
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Carter's Inaugural Address
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On January 20, 1977, after being sworn in as the 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter delivers a short speech and, along with his wife and daughter, walks during the Inaugural Parade from Capitol Hill to the White House. He was the first president to make the journey on foot.
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Nixon Reelected to Presidency
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On November 7, 1972, incumbent President Richard Nixon won a second term in a landslide victory over Democrat George McGovern. In a brief statement from the Oval Office, President Nixon promises to bring "peace with honor" in Vietnam and to usher in a "new era of peace" with the Soviet Union.
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Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy Discuss Election Night Results
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In a recorded telephone conversation on November 3, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson discusses that night's election results with Robert F. Kennedy, who has just won his Senate race in New York. Johnson speculates about the outcome of his presidential race and asks Kennedy to offer congratulations to his brother Edward for his Senate win in Massachusetts.
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The Checkers Speech
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On September 23, 1952 Richard Nixon, mired in a scandal involving bribary and campaign funds, went on television and saved his political career.
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Inaugural Address: Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Excerpts from Dwight D, Eisenhower's first inaugural address on Tuesday, January 20, 1953.
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Inaugural Address: John F. Kennedy
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Excerpts from John F. Kennedy's inaugural address on Friday, January 20, 1961.
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Johnson Says He Won't Run
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In a History Uncut video, President Lyndon B. Johnson confidently gives his resignation speech as he steps down from the office of the presidency on March 31st of 1968.
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Inaugural Address: Bill Clinton
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Excerts from Bill Clinton's first inaugural address on Wednseday, January 21, 1993.
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Inaugural Address: Franklin D. Roosevelt
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Excerpts from Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address on Saturday, March 4, 1933.
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Inaugural Address: Gerald Ford
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Inaugural Address: George H.W. Bush
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Excerpts from George Herbert Walker Bush's inaugural address on Friday, January 20, 1989.
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Inaugural Address: Richard Nixon
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