George McGovern Admits Voting for Ford in 1976

[liberalpragmatist]

"I have to tell you something I've never said before publicly. I voted for him in 1976."

-- 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern (D) about Gerald Ford (R), on Larry King Live

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/01/03/quote_of_the_day.html

***

VERY interesting. It would be interesting to know the voting habits of prominent Republicans and Democrats. Many of them have probably crossed over to vote the other party in certain races. Obviously, they don't usually publicize this - unless they're out of office and making a public endorsement.

[originalpckelly]

1. I guess George McGovern goes in the Satan-incarnate

column now, doesn't he?

:rofl:

[still_one]

2. If true, that is quite sad. What that says is he voted for Ford over Carter

Going back to that time, and realizing that Ford had pardoned Nixon for activities which were done against McGovern, but most of all for activities against the Republic, makes me very sad

[jarab]

3. Hope Carter doesn't admit voting for Nixon in 72. nt

...O...

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. McGovern was always kind of a dumb ass.

[cali]

5. What a load of shit.

McGovern certainly is not a dumb ass. He's always been a thoughtful, knowledgable and reflective man who's accumulated a gread deal of wisdom.

[Lurking Dem]

6. Not to mention a war hero!

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. He's a reflective dumb ass who voted for a dumb ass.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. Take some prozac & go back to bed.

[cali]

12. Oh please, you make

a totally unsubstantiated claim that is nothing more than a slur against Senator McGovern, and then when called on it, you make it again. Provide any shred of evidence from any reputable non-right wing source, that backs up your claim that Senator McGovern is a "dumb ass".

[Hoosier Dem]

18. I second your motion!!

I think the real dumb-ass is the one who posted the comment. Obviously, he knows very little about Senator mcGovern.

[cali]

19. Notice how Mr. "dumb ass"

is ignoring my request for any substantiation of his ludicrous claim.

[Hoosier Dem]

21. I guess he and Bill O'Reilley use the same fact-check service.

[LeftishBrit]

26. I admire McGovern hugely

Being a great Carter fan, I don't agree on voting for Ford against Carter, but I don't agree with anyone on everything. And I don't think it became clear how good Carter really was until much later: indeed, the longer he lives, the better his reputation seems to become.

[novalib]

11. HE WAS NOT!!!!!

He had COURAGE!!!!

He spoke the TRUTH when FEW people were willing to do so!!

I CANNOT understand why he would have voted for Ford (but remember, he did so BEFORE Ford pardonned Nixon).

But McGoverne was NEVER a "kind of dumb ass"!!!!!!!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

13. A lot of people spoke the truth. In the end his legacy is one of

losing in a blow out & now admitting he voted for an utter numb skull.

[novalib]

15. In 1972????

As I recall, there were NOT very many people in POWER who were willing to speak the TRUTH about VIETNAM in 1972!!

Gene McCarthy was ONE. George McGovern was another.

[The_Casual_Observer]

17. Sounds like you're behind him "1000%"

[RB TexLa]

9. Not all that surprising, there were many liberals weary of voting for someone

from the deep south in 1976. Unwarranted in my opinion but it was there.

[AX10]

16. Quite possible.

[liberalpragmatist]

27. Apparently in 1976, partisan-segregation was at a low

These days, people are very segregated - certain demographic groups tend to congregate and vote en masse for the same party. In 1976, that apparently hit a nadir, with Democrat and Republican voters living in closer proximity than any other time.

And a look at the electoral map from that year bears that out - it was a very different pattern than any of the elections that followed and even pretty different from elections past. In many ways it was kind of a throwback. Carter nearly swept the South, and split the Northeast and Midwest with Ford. Ford carried everything west of the Mississippi save Texas.

[brentspeak]

14. Maybe it was due to Carter's free trade stance

An otherwise admirable man, Jimmy Carter was an idiot for supporting "free" trade.

[WI_DEM]

25. but then Ford was for free trade too. I think it has to do with liking Ford better

and knowing him better. He said he voted for President Carter in 1980.

[Jackpine Radical]

20. I'd really like to know why.

George McG is not a "dumb ass." He surely had reasons that made sense to him at the time. I just wish I knew what those reasons were.

Personally, I was not all that thrilled by what I perceived as Carter's "southernism." I supported Mo Udall in the primaries, but made my peace with myself & voted for Jimmy in the national. I must say that Carter has grown on me considerably over the years.

But I would still like to know why George did that.

[demnan]

22. He spoke unwisely

Frankly no one really cares how McGovern voted in 1976 but making a remark like that can only be devisive coming from a elder statesman. I wish he hadn't said it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. RFK Voted For Eisenhower

What I find ironic is the person in this thread who was pooping all over Ford but is now defending McGovern for voting for him...

As an aside, people are free to vote for whomever they please but to vote against someone because they are a southerner is rank prejudice...

[WI_DEM]

24. In the interview he said he knew Ford better than Carter in '76

and that Ford had invited him to the WH for the first time in a decade when the war in Vietnam officially ended. He also said he supported the pardon of Nixon. He voted for Carter in 1980. He also said his wife and all his children told him that they also voted for Ford.

[UTUSN]

28. & *I* have to admit voting for McGOVERN (and every other Dem regardless of stripes)

I wish I had kept his signed letter responding to my letter asking him to step aside and let any Dem who had ANY chance of beating NIXON take the lead, that BEATING NIXON was the eye-on-the-ball thing. He said something like, "I think I understand the issues and that I have (something like a good chance to win)." It was a VERY nice/polite letter, as would be expected.

Anyway, to the purists here, some of whom have told me my vote for McGOVERN should be a high point of pride to me---uh, no. It wasn't until a few years ago that his decorated military record became known to me. It was like he was actively trying to HIDE it. And the Libs of that day WERE anti-military, and therefore un-understanding of some world realities. The CLINTONs absorbed some of this back then. A savvy dude would have USED that distinguished military background as a PLUS for his end-Vietnam stance. He was one of our loveable going-down-in-NOBLE-flames candidates.