The McGovern crusade

Scads of young peace advocates were energized by the presidential candidacy of Democrat George McGovern in 1972 and wanted to help elect him. They didn’t realize that the Democratic Party in Chicago just didn’t care.

Other offices were more important, and far more beneficial to the local party than the U.S. Presidency. McGovern had absolutely no chance of unseating Richard Nixon, so campaigning for him would be a wasted effort. And he was expected to perform below par in many wards, anyway, so being identified with him would be counterproductive.

Even worse, McGovern forces had ousted the elected Delegates from Chicago at the Democratic National Convention, thus making an enemy of the local Democratic organization that had supported them.

Still, in the 50th ward, McGovern fans pranced into Democratic Party Headquarters on Western Avenue, brimming with energy and enthusiasm, only to exit the office looking puzzled while holding bumper stickers they had been given calling for the re-election of Clerk of the Circuit Court Matthew Danaher.

So, they wandered down the street to the campaign office of IVI and IPO where Reformers had endorsed McGovern but were advocating for a split ticket of Democrats and Republicans.

That’s not what they wanted, so they continued farther down the block, past the 50th Ward Republican Party Headquarters and found the McGovern for President office next door to it, where they joyously volunteered.

McGovern carried the 50th, but by a smaller margin than previous Democrats.

Excerpted from “Chicago Political Stories” at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/994143