Spiro Theodore Agnew, November 9, 1918 (Baltimore, Md.) – September 17, 1996 (Berlin, Md.)
VP candidate for Nostalgia Party (1980)
Running mate with nominee: Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Richard Grayson (self-described moderate radical) and Jerry Weinberger (self-described radical moderate), two twentysomethings from Queens, NY formed the tongue-in-cheek Nixon-Agnew in '80 Committee and said they registered the ticket with the FEC. Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew, who both resigned their last public offices in disgrace, were listed under the Nostalgia Party.
A couple problems here. Nixon had already been elected twice to the Presidency and according to the term limits set by the Constitution that includes the phrase "No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice ..." would certainly make him ineligible for a third round. No such restriction applies to the VP, so Agnew would be safe.
Grayson's response, "Since when did Nixon care about the Constitution?"
Secondly, as frequently the case when big names are appropriated by third parties, neither candidate gave permission to use their names.
"Well, we tried to contact both Nixon and Agnew but we had a problem ... They wouldn't take our calls. I don't think they're even speaking to each other anymore. They're sort of like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis after they split up."
Some more quotes from Grayson and Weinberger:
Life was a lot better when Nixon and Agnew came into office. The Beatles were still together. Gasoline dealers had price wars and gave away free dishes.
Nixon and Agnew have learned a lot since leaving office. They've both written two books and have matured.
Look at how things were when these two were in office. Interest rates were down and hemlines were up. Students were active in social issues. No disco.
I regret never having voted for Nixon. I'm not going to let it happen again. You know, I really miss seeing him. I miss seeing his upper lip sweat. Carter doesn't sweat. How can you trust a man who doesn't sweat?
Remember how great he was on TV? When that man lied, you knew he lied. What more could you ask for in a president?
The Nixon/Agnew ticket enjoyed some novelty publicity in the spring of 1980 and even though news coverage of the Nostalgia Party faded it is an easy bet they received some write-in votes in November. In the event they won, Agnew would have once again served as VP, but the Democratic controlled US House would have been placed in the position of electing a President between two runner ups (Carter and Reagan) as long they also had Electoral votes. Let the conjecture begin!
Election history:
1960 - Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge - defeated
1962-1966 - Baltimore County (Md.) Executive (Republican)
1967-1969 - Governor of Maryland (Republican)
1969-1973 - US Vice-President (Republican) - resigned
Other occupations: US Army (WWII) (Korea), attorney, Baltimore County Board of Zoning Appeals, author, international business consultant
Buried: Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens (Timonium, Md.)
Notes:
Buried in the same cemetery as Johnny Unitas.
His father was a Greek immigrant to the US in 1897, original name was Theophrastos
Anagnostopoulos.
Was a Democrat until after WWII.
Brush with fame: I was in a college class with one of Agnew's daughters about six years after he
resigned and she was really a delightful person.
