General Discussion

forjusticethunders

(1,151 posts)

97. "McGovern lost because he's too liberal"

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 04:02 PM

Jun 2016

Massive over-simplication. First off, the Dems would never stab their nominee in the back the way several interest groups stabbed him. Even the unions deserted him (and we've talked at length about how the white working class deserted liberal politics, well there you go, if anyone thinks a more moderate program was going to bring back all those racist/sexist queer-hating "Godfearing" "Law and Order" white people I have beachfront property near Stone Mountain to sell you).

Obviously Eagleston fucked him over too, and Nixon did things in that campaign that were the prelude to the Bush/Cheney years. And of course, the country wasn't brown/black enough to offset all this (remember that McGovern, with a perfect storm of factors against him, STILL would have given Nixon a run for his money if 1972 America was 32% nonwhite)

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1972 Democratic Party Platform is so progressive as to be off the scale today [View all] andym Jun 2016 OP

Ike in 1956 had a more progressive economic plank than Hillary today. leveymg Jun 2016 #1

they're way farther right of Nixon right now! Pharaoh Jun 2016 #38

If Nixon Were Alive Today, He Would Be Far Too Liberal to Get Even the Democratic Nomination Pharaoh Jun 2016 #40

I did not know that Noam Chomsky said that. FuzzyRabbit Jun 2016 #42

That was a great article! I agree with the final paragraph. CrispyQ Jun 2016 #80

While that sounds a bit crazy treestar Jun 2016 #67

The PTB have managed to brainwash/regress us to pre-New Deal days. merrily Jun 2016 #59

That sums it up perfectly +1000! hobbit709 Jun 2016 #64

Rachel sums it up well. bvar22 Jun 2016 #85

Well... Adrahil Jun 2016 #2

Yes. That platform lost by 49 states to 1. n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #36

Hard to compare different eras in my opinion. PoliticalMalcontent Jun 2016 #41

The point is that the 1972 platform was off the scale in 1972. pnwmom Jun 2016 #44

I'm not so sure in today's era that PoliticalMalcontent Jun 2016 #45

The OP said that the 1972 platform was so progressive it would be off the scale TODAY. pnwmom Jun 2016 #46

My apologies. PoliticalMalcontent Jun 2016 #49

Not necessary -- but thanks! n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #54

I think it was more liberal then in many ways. I was there for it. :) nt Mojorabbit Jun 2016 #50

Perhaps so. :) Era of the hippies and all. PoliticalMalcontent Jun 2016 #51

It was not off the scale then, nor is it off the scale now. merrily Jun 2016 #58

Indefinitely? No... Adrahil Jun 2016 #63

No. For many reasons, a war time incumbent won, just as they always have in the US. merrily Jun 2016 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author merrily Jun 2016 #60

McGovern could have run to the right of Nixon and still would have lost. hobbit709 Jun 2016 #65

But he did run on that platform SCantiGOP Jun 2016 #95

And lost 520-17 scscholar Jun 2016 #3

Nixon had a strong economy and had brought an end to the war. It's not as simple as you want to make think Jun 2016 #6

Are you fucking kidding me - FreakinDJ Jun 2016 #19

"But as Andrew Gelman points out, Nixon also had the benefit of a strong economy." think Jun 2016 #20

Touche. ..Just ask Jimmy Carter about the mess he Lance Bass esquire Jun 2016 #30

Nixon's great economy? No, things were awful, he put in place a wage and price freeze HereSince1628 Jun 2016 #61

The peace treaty wasn't signed until after the 1972 election. 1939 Jun 2016 #83

Actually, Nixon war riding high because of racial bigots and hippie haters Warpy Jun 2016 #102

McGovern's landslide loss reversed the movement toward progressive policies andym Jun 2016 #14

whoaaa there, boy! Carter was hamstrung from the getgo by his own PARTY, led Gabi Hayes Jun 2016 #26

Example: Carter really started government deregulation before Reagan andym Jun 2016 #33

And the dirty tricks campaign never happened? No rat fucking? No Watergate? Ford_Prefect Jun 2016 #28

As if. Please see Reply 56 in this thread and the thread to which Reply 56 links. Thank you. merrily Jun 2016 #57

Not me! I'd rather win with terrible ideas! arcane1 Jun 2016 #76

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! pokerfan Jun 2016 #94

A few yrs earlier Nixon had called for a guaranteed minnimum income loyalsister Jun 2016 #4

This message was self-deleted by its author stopbush Jun 2016 #5

welcome to the club! and just as the media ignored Watergate until after the election Gabi Hayes Jun 2016 #11

Yeah, my first too. mountain grammy Jun 2016 #22

I don't remember any of that stuff, but I DO remember TheDebbieDee Jun 2016 #7

eagleton LIED HIS ASS off to McGovern when directly confronted with info on his Gabi Hayes Jun 2016 #13

It was rejected in a major landslide victory for the Trick Dick. eom MohRokTah Jun 2016 #8

What a lame excuse for giving up on Democratic values. Nixon was president with a strong economy think Jun 2016 #12

And going too far to the left has ALWAYS lost at a national level MohRokTah Jun 2016 #15

"So if you want to lose, go left." Did you really just post that here? think Jun 2016 #21

Yes. I did. MohRokTah Jun 2016 #23

Post removed Post removed Jun 2016 #29

On the issues, the American people have long been more progressive than their government. leveymg Jun 2016 #66

That sort of polling is 100% irrelevant. MohRokTah Jun 2016 #68

100% irrelevant? Johnson and Carter were both way to the Left of Obama on economic issues. leveymg Jun 2016 #70

Now you're just re-writing history. MohRokTah Jun 2016 #71

What are the new Great Society programs? Any Mideast Peace initiatives, akin to Oslo Accord? leveymg Jun 2016 #72

FDR got elected 4 times. bvar22 Jun 2016 #87

Democrats won the House and the Senate in '72. N/T Chathamization Jun 2016 #27

Thank you for pointing out that very important fact nt vintx Jun 2016 #74

Oh how far America's come since 1972, right? HughBeaumont Jun 2016 #9

Great post! mountain grammy Jun 2016 #25

It should have been Bobby's second term. PSPS Jun 2016 #10

The world and America would probably look very different if RFK had survived andym Jun 2016 #17

Who is the "they"? former9thward Jun 2016 #91

I am proud to say I voted for George Dyedinthewoolliberal Jun 2016 #16

And they still haven't closed the loop holes that export jobs FreakinDJ Jun 2016 #18

Because that's a meaningless phrase, though it has polled well for 50 years Recursion Jun 2016 #32

'Abolishing capital punishment' Eric J in MN Jun 2016 #24

K&R! Thank you for this excellent post. Phlem Jun 2016 #31

Yes indeed. andym Jun 2016 #34

Which is why his chances would have been so dismal in the general. pnwmom Jun 2016 #39

I heartily disagree with your assessment based on a variety of factors. PoliticalMalcontent Jun 2016 #47

That candidate lost by 49 states mostly for other reasons andym Jun 2016 #48

Some like to compare Bernie with McGovern senz Jun 2016 #53

yes +1000 840high Jun 2016 #35

That platform was off the scale in 1972, also -- and our candidate lost in 49 states.n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #37

He didn't lose because of the platform. progressoid Jun 2016 #86

Almost everyone knew about the guaranteed income plan. That was a key element pnwmom Jun 2016 #90

Meh. Hadn't Nixon already proposed a variation of that a couple years earlier? progressoid Jun 2016 #92

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Jun 2016 #43

A platform that got demolished in the general election The Second Stone Jun 2016 #52

men to that. eom BlueMTexpat Jun 2016 #55

We gained two Senate seats. progressoid Jun 2016 #88

and this platform led to the greatest defeat of a democratic nominee beachbum bob Jun 2016 #62

Certainly better than wholly owned corporate one we have now. alarimer Jun 2016 #69

A thank you for all of our Third Way friends Uponthegears Jun 2016 #73

Exactly. alarimer Jun 2016 #75

+1,000 arcane1 Jun 2016 #84

Very well said. nm emordnilaP Jun 2016 #89

I remember it well. That platform was just one of the reasons Nixon won in a landslide. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #77

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jun 2016 #78

Me to. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #81

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jun 2016 #82

K&R Kurovski Jun 2016 #79

That's why I think Sanders played such a positive role andym Jun 2016 #96

That's the kind of platform I could support A Little Weird Jun 2016 #93

Times were very different then andym Jun 2016 #99

"McGovern lost because he's too liberal" forjusticethunders Jun 2016 #97

I never said that McGovern lost becase he was too liberal andym Jun 2016 #98

The country moved right for 2 reasons GulfCoast66 Jun 2016 #100

How did the Democrats fare that year? liberal N proud Jun 2016 #101