USPresidentNixon'sinvolvementintheWatergatescandalledtohisresignationin1974,butthefirstmajorattackonhisintegritycamemuchearlier.In1952,whenhewasthevice-presidentialcandidateontheRepublicanticket,itwasreportedthatthereweresomewealthybusinessmenwhocontributedtoaslushfundforNixon'sprivateuse.
TheRepublicanswerethinkingofremovinghimfromtheirticketwhenNixonappearedontelevisontodefendhimself.Havingdweltatlengthonhishumbleoriginsandhisadvancementinlifethroughhisownefforts,Nixonadmittedthathehadacceptedagift,namelyaspanielpuppy.Hetoldhowhiskidslovedthedogandhow,whateveranyonesaid,thefamilywasgoingtokeepit.ThousandsoftelegramsofsupportpouredintoRepublicanheadquarters,andNixonremainedontheRepublicanticket.
美國總統尼克森因涉及水門醜聞,一九七四年辭職,不過,他的誠信第一次受到嚴重質疑,卻是早很多年的事。一九五二年,他獲共和黨推舉為副總統候選人;有報道說,一些富商向一行賄基金輸將,供尼克森私人使用。
共和黨當時準備不再推舉尼克森,但尼克森上電視為自己辯護。他大談自己出身怎樣寒微,怎樣憑自己的努力取得成就,然後承認接受餽贈,獲贈的是一隻西班牙犬。他說這隻幼犬很得家中孩子喜愛,又說不管人家怎麼議論,都不會不要這隻狗。共和黨總部收到數以千計支持尼克森的電報,他於是繼續代表共和黨競選。