RIP George McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012)

[Astronuc]

George McGovern died this morning in hospice surrounded by family.

McGovern was born in the tiny farm community of Avon, S.D., the son of a Wesleyan Methodist church pastor. He grew up poor, witnessing the Depression and the Dust Bowl first-hand.

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/21/163342166/mcgoverns-life-leaves-more-than-a-lost-presidency

McGovern was a B-24 bomber pilot in World War II. With two engines out — one of them on fire — and with damaged landing gear, he managed to wrestle the plane safely to the ground in one of the last bombing missions of the war. The feat won him the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After the war, McGovern and his wife, Eleanor, moved back to the Midwest. He completed a doctorate in history on the GI Bill and in 1956 landed a seat in Congress as South Dakota's U.S. representative. In 1962, McGovern moved to the Senate. He was an unabashed liberal who won over voters in his conservative state.

But McGovern was not your run-of-the-mill Democrat. He strongly opposed the Vietnam War and advocated amnesty for draft dodgers and a living wage for the poor. During the early 1970s, McGovern became the mainstream voice of the anti-establishment, embraced by many of those protesting in the streets. Among them was Peter Yarrow of the folk group Peter, Paul & Mary.
. . .
"There are few and far between that measure up to the dignity, honesty and fantastic commitment of George McGovern that kept this country strong and conscious for all these years," Yarrow said.
. . .

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/21/143117378/mcgoverns-candidacy-inspired-new-wave-of-voters

 

[jtbell]

George McGovern dies

He was the Democratic presidential candidate 40 years ago, losing to Richard Nixon in a landslide. This was the campaign during which the Watergate break-in took place, which led to Nixon's downfall a couple of years later.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/21/us/george-mcgovern-dead/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

That was the first year that I voted for President, via absentee ballot from Germany, where I was spending a semester under my college's study-abroad program.

The family that I was living with was very impressed by the ballot package that I received by mail from my hometown board of elections. Not only did I vote for President, I also voted for governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state legislator, county commissioner, county board of education, sheriff, etc. etc.

I had to take a trip into town (Hamburg), to the U.S. Consulate, in order to have my ballot notarized before I could mail it back.

The German ballot for the parliamentary election which took place at about the same time was very simple, in contrast. They basically simply voted for the party that they wanted to represent them, which determined their local representative and the Chancellor (head of the party). Willy Brandt's Social Democrats won that one, by the way. Local and state elections were held on other dates.

 

[turbo]

He should be remembered fondly for his anti-war stance in the face of the jingoism that surrounded the VietNam war movement. Most politicians are not so principled, much to our detriment.

 

[Jim Kata]

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