Laughing at Spiro T. Agnew Commercial: Hubert Humphrey 1968 Presidential Campaign Election Ad

http://thefilmarchive.org/

Spiro Theodore Agnew (Greek: Σπύρος Θεόδωρος Άγκνιου, Spiros Theódoros Agkniou) (pronounced /ˈspɪroʊ ˈæɡnuː/; November 9, 1918 -- September 17, 1996) was the 39th Vice President of the United States (1969-1973), serving under President Richard Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland (1967-1969). He was also the first Greek American to hold these offices.

During his fifth year as Vice President, in the late summer of 1973, Agnew was under investigation by the United States Attorney's office in Baltimore, Maryland, on charges of extortion, tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. In October, he was formally charged with having accepted bribes totaling more than $100,000, while holding office as Baltimore County Executive, Governor of Maryland, and Vice President of the United States. On October 10, 1973, Agnew was allowed to plead no contest to a single charge that he had failed to report $29,500 of income received in 1967, with the condition that he resign the office of Vice President.

Agnew is the only Vice President in United States history to resign because of criminal charges. Ten years after leaving office, in January 1983, Agnew paid the state of Maryland nearly $270,000 as a result of a civil suit that stemmed from the bribery allegations.

Agnew's moderate image, immigrant background, and success in a traditionally Democratic state made him an attractive running mate for the 1968 Republican presidential nominee, former Vice President Richard Nixon. In line with what would later be called Nixon's "Southern Strategy", Agnew was selected as a candidate because he was sufficiently from the South to attract Southern moderate voters, yet was not identified with the Deep South, which might have turned off Northern centrists come election time.

As late as early 1968, Agnew was a strong supporter of Nelson Rockefeller, one of Nixon's opponents, but by June had switched to supporting Nixon. At the 1968 Republican National Convention, Agnew's nomination was supported by many conservatives within the Republican Party, and by Nixon himself. However, a small band of delegates started shouting "Spiro Who?" and tried to place George W. Romney's name in nomination. In the end, Nixon's wishes prevailed, with Agnew receiving 1119 out of the 1317 votes cast.

During the ensuing general election campaign against Vice President Hubert Humphrey—which took place against a backdrop of urban riots and anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, culminating in the violent confrontations at the Democratic convention in Chicago—Agnew repeatedly hammered the Democrats on the issue of "law and order". Although considered something of a political joke at first—one Democratic television commercial featured hearty laughter as the camera panned to a TV with the words "Vice President Spiro Agnew?" on the screen—Agnew had the last laugh, as the Republican ticket carried 32 of the 50 states.

Agnew went from his first election as County Executive to Vice President in six years—one of the fastest rises in U.S. political history, comparable with that of Nixon himself who became Vice President after four years in the House of Representatives and two years in the Senate. Agnew's Vice Presidency was also the highest-ranking United States political office ever reached by either a Greek American citizen or a Marylander.

Agnew soon found his role as the voice of the so-called "silent majority", and by late 1969 he was ranking high on national "Most Admired Men" polls. He also inspired a fashion craze when one entrepreneur introduced Spiro Agnew watches (a take off on the popular Mickey Mouse watch); conservatives wore them to show their support for Agnew, while many liberals wore them to signify their mocking contempt.

Agnew was known for his scathing criticisms of political opponents, especially journalists and anti-war activists. He attacked his adversaries with relish, hurling unusual, often alliterative epithets—some of which were coined by White House speechwriters William Safire and Pat Buchanan—including "pusillanimous pussyfooters", "nattering nabobs of negativism" (written by Safire), and "hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history." He once described a group of opponents as "an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiro_Agnew

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[stickernation]

Gingrich for President ?

[Ektomias]

@Ektomias The president, Richard Nixon, suffered a similarly ignominous fate a short time later. On August 9, 1974, he resigned in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office. After his resignation, he was controversially issued a pardon by his successor, Gerald Ford.

[Ektomias]

During his fifth year as Vice President, Agnew was under investigation by the United States Attorney on charges of extortion, tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. He was formally charged with having accepted bribes totaling more than $100,000, while holding office as Baltimore County Executive, Governor of Maryland, and Vice President of the United States. Agnew was allowed to plead no contest to a single charge, with the condition that he resign the office of Vice President.

[SugarSweettart]

Hubie "the boobie" Humphrey lost the election to Tricky Dicky. America lost that election, no matter who won.

[JugheadObama]

Commie Lib Alinsky Tactics have been at work longer than you realize. When your opponent is better than you, isolate and ridicule.