Editing Checkers speech (section)

=== Development of the story ===
On September 14, Nixon was asked about the Fund by reporter [[Peter Edson]] of the [[United Media|Newspaper Enterprise Association]] after the senator completed an appearance on ''[[Meet the Press]]''. Nixon told Edson that the Fund was set up by his supporters to pay political expenses, explained that he had made no effort to find out the names of the donors, and referred Edson to Smith for further information. Edson, and other reporters, did contact Smith, who answered questions about the Fund.{{sfn|Ambrose|1988|p=275}} Three days later, Nixon's campaign train, the "''Dick Nixon Special,''" left [[Pomona, California]], on a whistle-stop campaign tour of the West Coast and [[Rocky Mountain states]].{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=754–756}}
[[File:Checkers speech tour menu.jpg|thumb|left|Menu from "''Dick Nixon Special''"]]

Edson's column on the 18th, which included lengthy quotes by Smith on the supposed safeguards in the Fund, was later called by Nixon, "fair and objective".{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=761–762}} However, [[Leo Katcher]] of the ''[[New York Post]]'' interviewed Smith and wrote a story under the headline "Secret Rich Men's Trust Fund Keeps Nixon in Style Far Beyond His Salary" and referred to the Fund donors as a "millionaires' club".{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=762}} Nixon later praised Katcher's younger brother Edward, also a reporter, for his objectivity, but told him, "your brother Leo is a son of a bitch."{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=762}}

When the ''Dick Nixon Special'' arrived in [[Bakersfield, California]], that day, Nixon, still oblivious to the developing furor, made a speech promoting the Republican ticket, and backing local congressman [[Thomas H. Werdel]]. After the speech, Republican activist Keith McCormac showed Nixon the ''Post'' story, which had been picked up by [[United Press]] under the headline "Nixon Scandal Fund".  According to McCormac, the senator collapsed into his seat in shock, and needed the help of Murray Chotiner, who was again Nixon's campaign manager, and Congressman [[Patrick J. Hillings]] (a Nixon confidant who had succeeded him in the House of Representatives) to return to his compartment.{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=763}}

[[Democratic National Committee]] Chairman [[Stephen A. Mitchell (Democratic activist)|Stephen A. Mitchell]] called for Nixon's resignation from the ticket, saying that "Senator Nixon knows that [the Fund] is morally wrong. General Eisenhower knows that it is morally wrong. The American people know that it is morally wrong."{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=765}} On the other hand, Republican Senator [[Karl Mundt]] called the story "a filthy maneuver by left-wingers, fellow travelers, and former communists".{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=765}} Nixon issued a written statement explaining that the fund was to pay political expenses, in lieu of charging them to the taxpayer.{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=767}} Newspapers printed increasingly lurid accounts of the Fund and its beneficiary. The ''[[Sacramento Bee]]'' termed Nixon, "the pet protégé of a special interest group of rich southern Californians&nbsp;... their front man, if not, indeed, their lobbyist".{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=763}} The ''[[Pasadena Star-News]]'', meanwhile, reported that one contributor had been appealed to on the grounds that the Nixon family needed a larger home and could not afford a maid.{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=768}}

The train reached [[Marysville, California]], on the morning of September 19, and Nixon gave a speech from the rear platform. As the train pulled out, while he remained on the rear platform, someone in the crowd yelled, "What about the $16,000?" (the amount then thought to have been contributed to the Fund). Nixon had the train stopped, and responded that he had been told that if he continued on his political course, "crooks and communists" would smear him. He told the crowd that the Fund had saved the taxpayer money, since it paid for matters that could have been paid for through his Senate expense allowance. He promised to throw the "crooks and communists" out of Washington.{{sfn|Ambrose|1988|pp=278–279}}

[[File:Photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower - NARA - 518138.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]]]

Eisenhower was on his own train, the ''Look Ahead, Neighbor'', stumping through [[Missouri]], and on the morning of the 19th, his campaign staff made him aware of the gathering storm. Eisenhower publicly called upon Nixon to release all documents relating to the Fund,{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=769–772}} somewhat to the dismay of Chotiner, who wondered, "What more does the general require than the senator's word?"{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=775}} Eisenhower aides contacted the senior Republican senator from California, [[William Knowland]], and persuaded him to fly from [[Territory of Hawaii|Hawaii]] to join the Eisenhower train and be available as a potential replacement running mate.{{sfn|Halberstam|1993|pp=239–240}}

By this time, Nixon campaign headquarters was receiving a flood of messages, calling on Nixon to resign from the ticket.{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=774}} When Eisenhower's train stopped for the candidate to make speeches, he faced protesters with signs reading "Donate Here to Help Poor Richard Nixon".{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=776–778}}  The influential ''[[The Washington Post]]'' and ''[[New York Herald-Tribune]]'' both called for Nixon to leave the ticket, facts which Chotiner did not tell his candidate;  Nixon learned them from a questioning reporter. Over 100 newspapers would editorialize about the Fund on the morning of September 20, opinion running two to one against Nixon.{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=779–781}} As his train stopped in [[Eugene, Oregon]], Nixon was met with protestors' signs referencing [[Pat Nixon|his wife]]: "Pat, What Are You Going to Do With the Bribe Money?" and "No Mink Coats for Nixon—Just Cold Cash".  He angrily responded with a phrase which would be echoed in the Checkers speech. After stating that there were no mink coats for the Nixons, he said that he was "proud of the fact that Pat Nixon wears a good Republican cloth coat, and she's going to continue to".{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=776–778}}

Politicians from both parties opined on the propriety of the Fund and on what Nixon should do, most in accord with their political affiliation.{{sfn|Morris|1990|pp=786–787}} Democratic presidential candidate Stevenson, though, publicly reserved judgment, leading Chotiner to suspect "that Stevenson is afraid of something here. I bet he has something to hide."{{sfn|Morris|1990|p=775}}