George McGovern: Everyone Remembers Their First Time

I proudly waited a few hours at the Mallard Creek 2 polling station in Charlotte for my exercise in futility.

As it is today, in 1972 our country was extremely and angrily divided. We were in Vietnam. Our losses were vividly shown nightly on the evening news. There was a huge pushback, especially from those of draft age.

“I`m fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.” – George McGovern

George McGovern is near death. That’s sad. McGovern’s run for president in 1972 was a milepost in my life. How could he lose so badly when everyone I knew was voting for him? I guess I was pretty naive back then.

McGovern got creamed!

As the Democratic candidate he only won 17 electoral votes (Massachusetts and D.C.) . Incumbent President Richard Nixon won 520. Nixon got nearly 97% of the electoral votes and 61% of the popular votes.

This was my first vote. The legal age of majority was 21 back then. I proudly waited a few hours at the Mallard Creek 2 polling station in Charlotte for my exercise in futility.

As it is today, in 1972 our country was extremely and angrily divided. We were in Vietnam. Our losses were vividly shown nightly on the evening news. There was a huge pushback, especially from those of draft age.

I didn’t see it at the time, but McGovern was much too liberal for America.

From Wikipedia: McGovern ran on a platform that advocated withdrawal from the Vietnam War in exchange for the return of American prisoners of war and amnesty for draft evaders who had left the country. McGovern’s platform also included an across-the-board, 37 percent reduction in defense spending over three years.

In addition, McGovern supported ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

His leanings made him the underdog even before the Eagleton problem.

Just a few weeks after the Democratic convention it was revealed his running mate, Senator Thomas Eagleton, had received electroshock therapy for clinical depression during the 1960s. Though McGovern pledged he was “behind Eagleton 1000%,” a few days later he was ditched for Sargent Shriver.

The public never forgave him.

My support for Senator McGovern was based nearly 100% on his antiwar stance. Fiscal issues like taxes didn’t resonate with me. After all, in 1972 I was making $200 a week.

I didn’t think we belonged in Vietnam. I knew I didn’t belong in Vietnam! If there was a reason we were fighting, I couldn’t see it.

McGovern lost. Nixon won. And the rest… well you know. Nixon had Watergate and resigned before finishing his second term.

I thought McGovern was a decent, honest man. Even before Watergate I sensed Nixon was not. I voted with my heart.

We need more men of honor like George McGovern.

8 thoughts on “George McGovern: Everyone Remembers Their First Time”

  1. I was a few years shy of voting, but wore my McGovern pin proudly and optimistically. The loss, followed by the revelations of Watergate, made for a bit of cynicism That took a long time to recover from. It’s possible we”re headed there again. I sure hope not.

  2. I cast my first vote for him, too. I really wanted to move to MA after that election – clearly the only rational state in the country. He was an honest, honorable man – probably too decent to succeed as President. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t make more of Watergate, even tho it happened during the campaign. I hope his last days are peaceful.

  3. Geoff,

    I was serving in the military in 1972 and I clearly remember voting in the President in 1972. I was 19 years old! We had just recently “won” the right to vote with the ratification of the 26th amendment. T make sure I have the facts right I did a search on US voting age. Wikipedia confirmed my information. The amendment was ratified on July 7, 1971.

    1. Allan – You are correct. I was born in 1950. It was my first election at age 22. I guess I missed the 1971 vote, though I have never missed an election since–not one!

  4. I too was born in 1950. Only politician I ever campaigned for. We’re now faced with a catastrophe vs a disaster. It’s a no win.

  5. Just pick the LESSER of the two evils, or just vote against the incumbents?

    In any case, if you don’t vote, you really don’t have a right to complain, IMHO.

  6. He has that high-pitched voice and liberal ideas, and some folks just wrote him off as weak, but George McGovern was a B-24 pilot who flew 35 missions over Europe in World War II. I’ve been inside a B-24, and just walking through it is enough to give you a case of nerves; the thought of flying in one while people are shooting at you could keep you up nights.

    As Americans, we often confuse appearing tough with being tough. Our loss.

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