Homage To ‘72 Antiwar Hopeful

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/07/15/2542/

Homage To ‘72 Antiwar Hopeful
Veterans of George McGovern’s campaign gather and draw parallels to the effort to end the Iraq conflict.
by Claudia Lauer

WASHINGTON - Thirty-five years ago, with the United States riven by an unpopular armed conflict in a faraway land, the Democratic Party responded by nominating for president its most vocal antiwar candidate: George McGovern.



Friday night, not far from the Capitol where debate over another war is an almost-daily occurrence, veterans of the McGovern campaign and others gathered at a reception to pay homage to him.

The parallels between the fight he led against the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and the effort now being waged by many in the room to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq was a major theme of the evening.

“Don’t stop fighting for peace in Iraq!” activist Medea Benjamin shouted at one point above the din of chatter among the crowd of about 200.

snip//

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco was one of several Democratic lawmakers in attendance; she wore a McGovern campaign button she borrowed from an aide.

Ticking off the names of some of her most liberal colleagues whose political careers were inspired in large part by McGovern’s candidacy, she said, “Thank you, George McGovern…. The beat goes on.”

snip//

When it was time for him to say a few words, he was introduced by his old campaign manager - a then-unknown aide who helped McGovern snare his party’s nomination against rivals who initially were far better-known and better-positioned politically.

That aide, Gary Hart, was elected U.S. senator in Colorado in 1974, and 10 years later launched his own improbable presidential campaign.

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[Blue_In_AK]

1. McGovern was the first presidential candidate I voted for

I could have voted in '68 but I was so disgusted after Chicago that I sat it out...the last presidential election I missed.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. McGovern was the last presidential candidate I voted for with enthusiasm.

Since then my nose has been worn to a nub.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

3. I'm still proud to say that George McGovern was my first vote for

President in 1972. Thank God, the amendment lowering the voting age to 18 had been passed by then. If it hadn't I wouldn't have been able to vote until 1974.

[sandnsea]

4. He won one state

I love George McGovern, but come on. I guess the lesson here is that some lessons are never learned.