Agnew face

Blue text on a white background

Spiro Theodore Agnew was the 39th Vice President of the United States from 1969-1973 under the Nixon administration. Vice President Agnew was a controversial figure who vocally supported conservative views and disparaged the media which criticized President Nixon. Catchphrases were coined by Agnew in his many pointed inflammatory speeches. Some such phrases include “nattering nabobs of negativism” and “radiclibs,” short for radical liberals, and many others; they were published in the book The Real Spiro Agnew: Commonsense Quotations of a Household Word. 

His reach as a vocal figure increased as Nixon used him as a mouthpiece between 1969 and 1970, but his career reached an early end in 1973 when he was accused of receiving kickbacks and bribes in office. General Alexander M. Haig, Nixon’s chief of staff, took action and informed Agnew’s staff that if the vice president resigned and pleaded guilty to failing to record the cash given to him on his tax returns, then other charges against him would be dropped and he would not have to serve time in jail. Agnew pleaded nolo contendere to the tax charges and resigned from office on October 10, 1973. A plea of nolo contendere means that the defendant does not admit guilt but accepts punishment for the accused crimes and does not contest the charges. 

“Just What Nixon Always Needed - AGNEW face,” refers to Agnew’s resignation and the celebration that happened when a different vice president was appointed. Late on, President Nixon also resigned from office due to the Watergate Scandal. Vice President Agnew and President Nixon were the first vice president and president pair to both resign from office.