Some may wonder what a dog who died in 1964 has to do with a scandal that did not take place until the early '70s.

But were it not for Checkers, whose presence in the famous speech that bears his name was an obvious ploy for public sympathy, Nixon's career would have ended long before he ever made it to the White House. In this way, Nixon's manipulation of this poor dog is indirectly responsible for Watergate and the national crisis that followed.

The fact that Nixon apparently didn't even like dogs only underscores the ruthlessness and callousness of the man who would become our nation's President.

In another Watergate connection, we've been told that the Cockettes, who were also responsible for film called "Tricia's Wedding", made a movie with the premise is that all of Watergate is caused by Nixon's need to coverup his intimate relationship with Checkers. If there is anything I'd rather picture less than Nixon having sex, it's Nixon having sex with a dog.