A great democratic hero did not vote for Carter and Clinton.

[Mass]

McGovern, the hero of so many on DU for his opposition to the war in VietNam, admitted he did not find Carter and Clinton experienced and solid enough and voted for Dole and Ford.

I find this interesting because it certainly makes the point that some people care about experience. If McGovern, somebody who had been in contact with many politicians and therefore probably had little illusion about politicians, was concerned about voting for Carter and Clinton, do we really think that there are not many "regular" people who do not think the same thing.

This makes even more ridiculous the framing that some try to push that, after this government, experience does not matter. Of course, experience is not the only thing that matter, character and ideas matter as well, but the right mix of experience, character, and ideas is what really matter.

http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/2007/Jan-05-Fri-2007/opinion/11792483.html

[JI7]

1. wow

well, if you think about it McGovern endorsed Clark in the Primary who has experience in many areas, but when JK won he was very happy also and had only positive things to say about him.

i wish he would be more active in the public area. maybe he is but i just don't hear about it.

and i agree with that. experience, character and ideas. not about whether you like someone. in the end people DO vote for who they think will make a better President. likability and other things come into it if they view both candidates as equal in the important areas mentions.

[sandnsea]

2. Ford/Dole, I think

I get the impression that he voted for the Ford/Dole ticket in 1976. I didn't see Clinton's name in the piece.

I think the writer just wanted to make a wild speculation as to why McGovern did that and came up with one WWII Vet trusting 2 others - while completely missing the fact that Carter served in 1946 himself, although not in the war. In any event, it's stupid.

The most likely reason McGovern voted for Ford is because he actually did get the war ended, did make the right moves on amnesty, was pro-choice, etc. The south always being more conservative, perhaps Ford decided an Olympia Snowe type Republican is always better than the risk of a Zell Miller type Democrat. Once he figure out Carter wasn't a Zell, he voted for him in 1980.

I think that vote is a statement of how crazy the right wing culture has gotten, there'd never be a Ford or Snowe to even think about voting for anymore.