Rest In the Peace you loved so much, Eugene J. McCarthy

[mb7588a]

Announcement press conference:
http://www.4president.org/speeches/mccarthy1968announcement.htm

" When the strongest nation in the world can be tied down for four years in a war in Vietnam with no end in sight, when the richest nation in the world cannot manage its economy, when the nation with the greatest tradition of the rule of law is plagued by unprecedented racial violence, when the President of the United States cannot travel abroad, or to any major city at home, then it's time for new leadership for the United States." - Eugene J. McCarthy

"I can still smell the tear gas in the Hilton Hotel." - Eugene J. McCarthy

"One thing about a pig, he thinks he's warm if his nose is warm. I saw a bunch of pigs one time that had frozen together in a rosette, each one's nose tucked under the rump of the one in front. We have a lot of pigs in politics." - Eugene J. McCarthy

We need more Democrats who aren't afraid of telling the truth.

[dhill926]

1. my very first vote....

was for Gene in the 1968 primary.

[mb7588a]

2. luck you!

...my first vote for president was for Kerry in the WI primary.

[Hekate]

4. My friends and I worked all year for McCarthy in 1968

My birthday is September 27, so I missed being able to vote in the primary. Then I moved and my absentee ballot never arrived....

What a year that was, by turns hopeful and tragic -- and then just tragic. On the night of the California primaries my friends and I stayed at our HQ in a storefront on Euclid Ave., Ontario, CA until it was clear that Bobby Kennedy had won and Gene McCarthy had lost, then we went to our separate homes to grieve.

With no tv and a dead transistor radio in my apartment, I didn't have any idea Kennedy had been assassinated until the next morning -- and then the grieving really began. :cry:

Somewhere in my boxes in the garage I still have my McCarthy campaign stuff: the daisy stickers for the car I didn't have, plain bumper stickers, position papers, buttons... Oh yes, and clippings of his stop at our airport, where he plunged into the crowd to press the flesh and forgot to turn around and shake the hands of our little crew of hopeful young pols! The silly local rag's headline called him the "Silver Haired Solon."

Working on the campaign that year, believing we could change the country and bring peace, meant so very much to me and my friends. Whatever came after, I always appreciated that Senator McCarthy was the first presidential candidate to come out strongly for peace and an end to the war in Vietnam that was chewing up our youth like an everlasting meatgrinder.

Rest in peace, peace warrior. You were our man for all seasons. :cry:

Hekate

[mb7588a]

6. Damn.

I'm always so jealous of people when I hear their previous campaign stories. I wish I had been around for some of those campaigns. I guess I'll have to tell people about Gore and Kerry when the time comes around, and i should keep all that campaign crap in the boxes right where it is now. I don't think I'll ever take down my "kerry country" sign from my wall.

EDIT: LET'S KEEP THIS KICKED FOR EVERYONE TO POST THEIR MEMORIES.

[Hekate]

8. Kick for others to post their memories -- please

:kick:

Btw, when the primary votes were counted, we carried our end of the county for Gene!

Hekate

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Gene McCarthy, one of my all-time favorite politicians.

RIP :cry:

[Voltaire99]

5. One of the good ones.

And one of the last Democrats to inspire. America and the party spurned him to their, and our, great loss.

RIP, Eugene.

[awoke_in_2003]

7. Love that quote

about the pigs. Sums up washington real well.

[mb7588a]

9. yeah it sure does. had to include it. nt.