Former South Dakota Senator George McGovern, the Democratic Presidential nominee in 1972 against Richard Nixon, has passed away at age 90 this morning, and his death brings back memories of the Great Society and the Vietnam War.
McGovern, a great supporter of Lyndon B. Johnson’s reforms, and the quintessential liberal Democrat in the nation, was a strong anti war advocate who used that issue in his 1972 Presidential campaign, against the most unethical and crooked President in history, and was smashed by a 49 state defeat by Richard Nixon.
Despite that massive defeat, McGovern kept his dignity, his decency, and his principles, and his 18 years in the Senate were among the most heroic and exceptional we have seen in that body which includes too many opportunists.
McGovern was an inspiration to the author when he was a young man, and he was, without question, the most decent politician of my lifetime, a man of peace and tolerance, and yet a man who had fought combat missions in World War II. and knew the horrors of war.
This author once wrote a post suggesting a “Progressive Mount Rushmore”, more in jest than expecting it to happen, with McGovern joining fellow Democrat Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, and Republican Senators Robert La Follette, Sr of Wisconsin and George Norris of Nebraska, on that hallowed concept of a monument to great progressives and liberals who have impacted our nation and our lives.
It is hard not to be a bit emotional, hearing of McGovern’s death, but we know he was a man who, to the end of his life, affected the nation in a positive manner.
And we know that three future Democratic Presidents were impacted by McGovern’s idealism and principles–two directly (Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton)—and Barack Obama more in a learning manner about a man who ran for President when our President was just starting to think about public affairs at age 11.
George McGovern will be part of the broad story of American history, and when people read about and learn about him, a smile will appear, as he was the epitome of what a decent politician is all about, and makes the word politician have new meaning.
Actually, looking back at my entry on a Progressive-Liberal Mount Rushmore, I did NOT pick McGovern, but instead Ted Kennedy to join La Follette, Norris, and Humphrey.
Despite that, I would propose McGovern be on a FIVE member Mount Rushmore representing the
left of American politics!
Let me also say that were we to create a Western Progressive Mount Rushmore, Ted Kennedy, being from Massachusetts, would not be on it, and therefore, George McGovern would be placed on it alongside Humphrey, La Follette, Sr, and Norris!
These senators were from South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, so another name might be “the Prairie Progressives”, all men of principle and conviction!