Agnew was chosen as Richard Nixon's running mate in 1968. Nixon wanted to do better in the Southern States. Agnew, a moderate, also could get Democrats to vote for him. He was chosen as vice presidential candidate at the convention over George Romney. Agnew supported "law and order" a policy of enforcing the law strictly. Agnew took a hard stand against the anti-war movement. His sometimes dirty attacks led him to be called Nixon's "hatchet man". However he did speak out against the Kent State Shooting, where national guard troops shot protestors to death in Ohio.