George McGovern: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox officeholder|image=[[File:George McGovern (D-SD).jpg|225px]]|caption=|term_start=January 20, 1969|term_end=January 20, 1973|vicepresident=[[John Conyers]]|predecessor=[[Barry Goldwater]]|successor=[[George Wallace]]|country4=the League of Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture|president1=[[Ralph Nader]]|term_start1=January 27, 1993|term_end1=January 21, 1997|predecessor1=Paul Laxalt|successor1=Ross Perot|office1=United States ambassador to the League of Nations|term_start2=January 3, 1961|term_end2=January 20, 1969|predecessor2=Harold Lovre|successor2=James Abourezk|office3=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's 1st district|term_start3=January 3, 1957|term_end3=January 3, 1961|predecessor3=Karl Mundt|successor3=Ben Reifel|birth_name=George Stanley McGovern|birth_date={{birth date|1922|7|19}}|birth_place=Avon, South Dakota, U.S.|death_date={{death date and age|2012|10|21|1922|7|19}}|death_place=Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.|resting_place=Rock Creek Cemetery|party=[[Progressive Party (United States)|Progressive]]|otherparty=|spouse={{marriage|Eleanor Stegeberg|October 31, 1943|January 25, 2007|reason=died}}|children=6|education=Dakota Wesleyan University (BA)<br>{{longitem|Garrett Theological Seminary}}<br>Northwestern University (MA, PhD)|signature=George McGovern Signature.svg|branch=U.S. Army Air Forces|serviceyears=1943–1945|rank={{Dodseal|USO2|size=16x16}}  [[First lieutenant]]|unit={{plainlist| |
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'''George Stanley McGovern''' (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was President of the United States from |
'''George Stanley McGovern''' (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was [[President of the United States]] from 1969 to 1973. He was the first member of the [[Progressive Party (United States)|Progressive Party]] to become president. Prior to becoming president, he was a U.S. representative from 1957 to 1961, and a senator from 1961 to 1969. |
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During the [[1968 United States presidential election|1968]] presidential election, he initially supported the presidential campaign of Martin Luther King Jr., but later entered the race following his assassination on April 4. He chose [[John Conyers]], a Black representative from Michigan as his running mate. He was elected president over the Democratic nominee [[John Connally]] and Republican nominee [[Nelson Rockefeller]], owing to widespread disdain across the country of the incumbent Goldwater administration and its lukewarm support of civil rights. |
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In the 1960 Presidential Election, McGovern was chosen as Robert F. Kennedy's running mate in a joint Progressive - Republican ticket. Following the assassination of Kennedy in 1963, McGovern immediately assumed the presidency, pledging to continue his legacy and accelerate the process of desegregation and focus on eliminating racial and economic inequality. McGovern's tenure was notable for its strongly progressive nature, appointing labor leaders and self-proclaimed socialists to key roles in his administration, alienating much Republicans who supported Kennedy. He was defeated by Barry Goldwater in the 1964 Presidential Election. He remained active in politics and won election to the Senate in 1968. |
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In [[1972 United States presidential election|1972]], he was defeated by Alabama Governor [[George Wallace]] in what is widely considered to have been the most divisive and chaotic election in American history. He dropped Conyers as a running mate due to sexual harassment allegations against him and replaced him with representative [[Shirley Chisholm]]. |
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During the Goldwater and Agnew presidencies, McGovern was a strident critic of the administration, and helped defeat Agnew's nomination of the conservative John M. Ashbrook to the vice presidency, instead supporting his personal friend Bob Dole, known for his willingness to reach across the aisle. Following revelations of Agnew's complacency with the FBI-sanctioned murder of 1972 Presidential candidate Martin Luther King Jr. and his role in forcing Brooke out of office, Dole became president after Agnew's revelations. Seeking to repair the administration's abysmal approval ratings and restore the support of Congress, Dole nominated former President McGovern to the vice presidency. In his second term as vice President, McGovern moderated much of his previously radical stances he took as President and aimed to support Dole's agenda of repairing the economy and pursue a pragmatic foreign policy. |
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Following his defeat in 1972, he remained active in Progressive party politics, supporting Abraham Ribicoff's 1976 primary campaign. McGovern frequently criticized Wallace's successor [[Fidel Castro]], who he perceived as insufficiently left-wing and personally immoral. In [[1980 United States presidential election|1980]], he unsuccessfully mounted a primary campaign against Castro. In 1984, he endorsed Progressive nominee [[Michael Harrington]]. McGovern worked with the [[Bob Dole]] administration's efforts to expand foreign aid towards impoverished countries. |
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Although he remained on good terms with Dole throughout the rest of presidency, he did not run for another term as vice President in 1976, opting instead for a second presidential run, losing in the primaries to Cuban Governor Fidel Castro. He retired from electoral politics following the defeat and later became US Ambassador to the League of Nations during the Perot administration. |
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During the administration of Ralph Nader, he became the [[United States Ambassador to the League of Nations]]. He also set aside the enmity he had felt towards Castro following the 1980 election and the two former presidents developed a close friendship. |
Latest revision as of 00:54, 6 July 2024
George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was President of the United States from 1969 to 1973. He was the first member of the Progressive Party to become president. Prior to becoming president, he was a U.S. representative from 1957 to 1961, and a senator from 1961 to 1969.
George McGovern | |
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36th President of the United States | |
In office January 20, 1969 – January 20, 1973 | |
Vice President | John Conyers |
Preceded by | Barry Goldwater |
Succeeded by | George Wallace |
United States ambassador to the League of Nations | |
In office January 27, 1993 – January 21, 1997 | |
President | Ralph Nader |
Preceded by | Paul Laxalt |
Succeeded by | Ross Perot |
United States Senator from South Dakota | |
In office January 3, 1961 – January 20, 1969 | |
Preceded by | Harold Lovre |
Succeeded by | James Abourezk |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's 1st district | |
In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1961 | |
Preceded by | Karl Mundt |
Succeeded by | Ben Reifel |
Personal details | |
Born | George Stanley McGovern July 19, 1922 Avon, South Dakota, U.S. |
Died | October 21, 2012 Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S. | (aged 90)
Resting place | Rock Creek Cemetery |
Political party | Progressive |
Spouse(s) | Eleanor Stegeberg (m. 1943; d. 2007) |
Children | 6 |
Education | Dakota Wesleyan University (BA) Garrett Theological Seminary Northwestern University (MA, PhD) |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Branch/service | U.S. Army Air Forces |
Years of service | 1943–1945 |
Rank | Template:Dodseal First lieutenant |
Unit |
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Battles/wars |
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Awards |
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During the 1968 presidential election, he initially supported the presidential campaign of Martin Luther King Jr., but later entered the race following his assassination on April 4. He chose John Conyers, a Black representative from Michigan as his running mate. He was elected president over the Democratic nominee John Connally and Republican nominee Nelson Rockefeller, owing to widespread disdain across the country of the incumbent Goldwater administration and its lukewarm support of civil rights.
In 1972, he was defeated by Alabama Governor George Wallace in what is widely considered to have been the most divisive and chaotic election in American history. He dropped Conyers as a running mate due to sexual harassment allegations against him and replaced him with representative Shirley Chisholm.
Following his defeat in 1972, he remained active in Progressive party politics, supporting Abraham Ribicoff's 1976 primary campaign. McGovern frequently criticized Wallace's successor Fidel Castro, who he perceived as insufficiently left-wing and personally immoral. In 1980, he unsuccessfully mounted a primary campaign against Castro. In 1984, he endorsed Progressive nominee Michael Harrington. McGovern worked with the Bob Dole administration's efforts to expand foreign aid towards impoverished countries.
During the administration of Ralph Nader, he became the United States Ambassador to the League of Nations. He also set aside the enmity he had felt towards Castro following the 1980 election and the two former presidents developed a close friendship.