Richard Nixon liked Spiro Agnew because he presented himself as an uncompromising champion

of law and order.

In 1968, Agnew was the governor of Maryland.

When riots broke out that year in Baltimore after the assassination of Martin Luther King,

Agnew put them down by bringing in thousands of National Guardsmen and US Army soldiers.

We have local police, state police and federalized troops on the scene, in control.

We know now as never before that the mob is no ally of civil rights.

Nearly 6,000 people were arrested over the course of four days.

Six were killed.

When it was all over, Agnew invited a group of civil rights leaders to the state office

building in Baltimore.

He proceeded to give a speech in which he chastised them for being anti-white radicals.

It is not evil conditions that cause riots, but evil men, he said.

I cannot believe that the only alternative to white racism is black racism.

Richard Nixon chose Governor Spiro Agnew of Maryland for his vice president.

As Nixon's running mate in 1968, one of Agnew's primary missions was to lure in white

Southern Democrats.

And the leaders of the Southern delegations said they were absolutely delighted to have won

this victory.

The recruitment of these disaffected voters was known as the Southern strategy.

In pursuing that strategy during the 68 election, Nixon took full advantage of his future

vice president's knack for stirring racial resentment.

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