She’s No Quitter, But What About Him?

History repeats itself, but not without a few wrinkles. We make the connections, then pick them apart.

The Comparison
Despite increasing calls for her to drop out of the Democratic nomination race, Hillary Clinton insists that she's staying in because she's "never been a quitter." Her defiance brings to mind the protestations of Richard Nixon, who in his day leaned into such head winds—once successfully, and once to no avail.

Why It Works
During his veep run in 1952, facing illegal campaign donation charges, Nixon said in his "Checkers speech" that he would stay put, silencing calls for him to step aside. With her nomination hopes dimming, Clinton has similarly turned the pressure on her to quit into a display of her willingness to tough it out.

Why It Doesn't
There's a big moral difference between weathering self-inflicted scandals and fighting back for the chance to win a still-unresolved election. Also, while Nixon did quit over Watergate in 1974—after saying for more than a year that he wouldn't—Clinton might never walk away. She could just lose.

© 2008