I worked on the McGovern campaign when I was a middle schooler. I stuffed and licked envelopes, helped silkscreen yard signs, canvassed. The McGovern campaign headquarters was my social scene for a while, probably because I was tagging along with my best friend, Anne, and her mom was a big time Democrat in this city. She was even a delegate to the 1972 Democratic Convention and I remember watching her on t.v.
McGovern's loss was my first taste of electoral heartbreak.
As I said in my last post, they don't make politicians like they used to. Since 1972, George McGovern has shown himself to be more than worthy of the title "elder statesman" and today's Democrats would do well to pay attention and learn from him. In an op ed piece in today's Washington Post, he calls for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney, saying,
Impeachment, quite simply, is the procedure written into the Constitution to deal with presidents who violate the Constitution and the laws of the land. It is also a way to signal to the American people and the world that some of us feel strongly enough about the present drift of our country to support the impeachment of the false prophets who have led us astray. This, I believe, is the rightful course for an American patriot. (And so much more. Read it here.)Cool buttons up at the top, eh? Mr. Ether found them in one of his boxes in the basement.
9 comments:
I love this post. I worked on his campaign, too, although not with your zeal. I leafleted the neighborhood.
Seeing those buttons is like seeing a path back to a different time. I really believed in him.
In this dark time we need more elders and statesmen like him.
1972 was when I started paying attention to politics. I blamed McGovern's defeat on a kid in our class because he said his folks voted for Nixon. I had no idea so did millions of others.
Good for George McGovern for speaking out, but what took him so long? He also forgot to mention it's all Bill Clinton's fault.
Nice buttons! They might be worth something on eBay.
My beaded elephant "Ike" pin is probably worth more.
George McG actually addresses the "What took him so long?" question in his essay.
The big time Democrat was sent to your blog. She responded: "Shades of the past .... I do remember George McGovern with fondness. It's interesting to see how he looked to a middle-schooler." By the way, she is an Obama supporter this time around.
Anne! You've stepped out of the shadows!! Now I'm embarrassed that your mom read this ... maybe I said something stupid. I'm so glad she's not supporting Ms. Clinton.
BTW, THREE City School alumni have weighed in with comments on this post. Any more? Terry? Beth? Ralph Pitt?
I made phone calls and stuffed envelopes for McGovern in 1972, my first political act. I thought my dad was gonna disown me, but he did drive me to the office, so...
And I still have my McGovern/Eagleton buttons, which are way cool.
Ooh, QD. McGovern/Eagleton buttons are w-a-a-a-y cool!
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