agnew, spiro

A political leader of the twentieth century. Agnew was elected vice president in 1968 and 1972 as the running mate of Richard Nixon. He attacked opponents of the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, calling them “an effete corps of impudent snobs” and “nattering nabobs of negativism.” In 1973 Agnew pleaded nolo contendere to charges of income tax evasion and resigned from office.