There has never been a presidential candidate who received more scorn than the Democratic challenger to Republican President Richard Nixon in 1972. George McGovern was the candidate of progressive America and wanted to put an end to the Vietnam War. But the figurehead of the American left lost landslide. Although Nixon had cheated, many believed McGovern was too left-wing. The Watergate affair began in the McGovern campaign office. Plumbers installed listening devices but were caught. At the time of the elections in November 1972, it was not yet known that Nixon himself had been behind this burglary. Nixon won, after a dirty tricks campaign in which he did everything he could to destroy McGovern. Ultimately, the venom turned against Nixon himself. He had to resign in 1974 following the Watergate affair.
South Dakota
McGovern was born in 1922 in a small town in South Dakota. His father was a staunch Republican and minister. There was a lot of poverty in this region and also in the McGovern household. The pastor earned no more than $100 a month. Churchgoers brought food to support the family. George was a quiet and well-behaved boy, but when he was older he secretly went to the movies. Something his father didn’t allow.
Self confidence
He learned to debate in high school and he did extremely well. The shy McGovern stood out here. He overcame his shyness by setting himself the task of learning to fly. When he succeeded in his first solo flight after a lot of effort and overcoming fears of death, it gave him self-confidence. He went on to study history at the small Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell. He was noticed by fellow students and teachers as a very good student.
Bomber
During World War II, McGovern was a B24 bomber pilot. He bombed Nazi Germany and was decorated for that. During a leave of absence he met his later wife Eleanor. The couple remained together until her death in 2007.
Poverty
Although McGovern was originally a Republican, that changed under Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt. He had been impressed by Roosevelt’s fight against poverty. Combating poverty remained one of the most important political issues for McGovern during his political career.
Politics
McGovern decided to join the Democratic Party and actively enter politics. In 1956 he became a Congressman for the Democrats, six years later he also became a senator. He was particularly committed to civil rights and combating poverty. As the Vietnam War became more and more urgent, he also turned against American involvement. His opposition to this war endeared him to his many progressive relatives in the 1960s.
Elections 1972
In 1968 he failed to become a presidential candidate for the Democrats. In 1972 there were new rounds, new opportunities. McGovern ran against incumbent President Nixon. He did a happy dance after reading his opponent’s program. This was far too left-wing for ordinary Americans, Nixon thought. The Democratic election manifesto was indeed very progressive, especially by American standards. Think of an immediate end to the Vietnam War, abolition of military conscription, billions in cuts to the army, a job guarantee and a guaranteed ample income for all Americans. Nixon made mincemeat of McGovern. This extremist was an outright threat to US security and ‘disregarded the old traditional American values’.
In addition, McGovern blundered in choosing his vice presidential candidate, Thomas Eagleton. The Republicans discovered that Eagleton had been treated by a psychiatrist and had undergone electroshock. Nixon made a big deal out of it. He evoked the image of a psychiatric patient with access to the nuclear button. McGovern initially said he was 1,000 percent behind his vice president, but upon reflection, dropped Eagleton a few days later. The Republicans knew then: McGovern is a doubter and voters don’t like that.
Things did not turn out well for McGovern’s candidacy, he was crushingly defeated. Nixon won 61% of the vote, McGovern 37%. Never before has the difference between these percentages been so great. Nixon won 49 out of 51 votes and had a whopping 18 million more votes than McGovern. Even in ‘left-wing’ states such as California and New York, the majority voted for Nixon. McGovern won only two states: Massachusetts and The District of Columbia (the area around the capital Washington).
Finally
He remained active in politics until 1980 and was a figurehead for progressive America. He was a historian and became a university professor. He started teaching and writing books. One of his books was about his alcoholic daughter who froze to death in the snow at the age of 45. The great tragedy of my life, said McGovern.
McGovern died on October 21, 2012 at the age of 90.