The Presidential election of 1972 had two strong candidates,President Richard Nixon and George McGovern. There were many issueswhich had a great deal of importance to the election. The Vietnam war andthe stability of the economy at the time were two main factors. The electionended in one the largest political scandals in U.S. history, being theWatergatebreak-in, and cover-up, by President Richard Nixon.
The Democratic party had a large selection of candidates from whichto choose for the primary elections of 1972. There were many well knowncandidates who entered the race for the nomination. The leading contenderswere Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, Senator George McGovern of SouthDakota and Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota.
Other candidates who didn’treceive quite as much recognition were Alabama governor George C. Wallace, Mayor Sam Yorty of Los Angeles, Rep. Wilbur D. Mills ofArkansas, Sen. Vance Hartke of Indiana, former Senator Eugene J. McCarthy of Minnesota, Mayor John Lindsay of New York City and Rep. Shirley Chisholm of New York. Chisholm was the first black to run in aseries of presidential primaries.” (Congressional Quarterly, “Guideto U.S. Elections”, Third ed., 1994, pg.603-605.)
Governor Wallace had a devastating moment in his campaign while inMaryland. “In early May a sick young man named Arthur Bremer altered thepolitics of 1972. As Governor Wallace campaigned toward certain victory inthe Maryland primary, Bremer stepped forward out of a shopping-centercrowd and shot him four times. Wallace survived, but at the cost of beingparalyzed from the waist down. Maryland’s voters surged out on election dayto give Wallace a huge victory, his last of 1972.
While Wallace recuperated,the millions who would have voted for him as a Democratic or independentcandidate began to move in overwhelming proportions behind the candidacybegan to move in overwhelming proportions behind the candidacy of Richard Nixon.” (Benton, William. “U.S. Election of 1972.”Encyclopedia BritannicaBook of the Year. pg.12-13, 1973 ed.)1When the California primary was approaching, Humphrey tried tosave the nomination for himself. “Humphrey excoriated his old senatefriend(McGovern) for his expensive ideas on welfare and his desire to cut thedefense budget.
It almost worked. But McGovern won all of California’sgiant delegation, and beat Humphrey 44.3% to 39.1% in the popularvote.”That loss spelled out the end for Humphrey’s Democratic nomination.
Many felt Edmund Muskie was sure to win the Democraticnomination for the election of 1972. “All political observers agreed onthecertainty that Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine would be the Democraticparty’s nominee.”1 “As the front-runner, he wanted to snare thenominationearly and so was committed to running in all of the first eight presidentialprimaries. Prominent Democratic politicians lined up eagerly to endorse him.
Among them: Gov. John Gilligan of Ohio; Leonard Woodcock, President ofthe United Auto Workers; Iowa Senator Harold Hughes; and PennsylvaniaGovernor Milton Shapp.”Muskie had many supporters, and a good chanceof receiving the nomination, perhaps even becoming the next President of theUnited States.
President Nixon knew that Muskie had a good chance ofwinning and felt he had to do something to get Muskie out of the race. Nixonhad seven men who were loyal to him make up false press releases aboutMuskie, and his wife. These press releases claimed that Muskie had hadaffairs with both men and women, that he beat his wife, and then the topperwhich claimed that Muskies’ wife was an alcoholic.
These false statements destroyed Muskie’s campaign and reputation of being a calm, trustworthy candidate. Then one day, “mounting the bed of a truck parked outside the offices of the archconservative Manchester Union Leader, Muskie launched an attack on the paper’s publisher, William Loeb. As he spoke of Loeb’s unflattering remarks about Mrs. Muskie, the senator’s voice cracked, and the crowd saw tears form in his eyes.” This incident badly dented Muskie’s image. After that event, people saw Muskie as a weak person. They didn’t want a weak person running the country.
“Muskie had finished fourth in Pennsylvania, behind winner Humphrey, Wallace, and McGovern, and a distant second to McGovern in Massachusetts. He then withdrew with dignity.” Muskie later said of this incident: “It changed people’s minds about me, of what kind of a guy I was. They were looking for a strong, steady man, and here I was weak.” (Congressional Quarterly, “Chronology of Presidential Elections”, Fourth ed. 1994, pg.329-330)
After a long primary campaign and all the primary elections, Senator George McGovern won the nomination for the Democratic Party in the 1972 presidential election. “McGovern did not get to deliver his acceptance speech–perhaps the best speech of his career–until 2:48 a.m., when most television viewers were already in bed.” Senator McGovern had a difficult campaign ahead of him. His opposition, President Richard Nixon, had already had the upper hand on him because he had been elected President four years before. President Nixon was the Republican candidate.
“President Richard Nixon told a reporter that ‘the election was over the day he (Sen. George McGovern) was nominated.'” McGovern campaigned very hard. “Between September 3 and September 15, the South Dakotan barnstormed through 29 cities and towns in 18 states covering some 14,000 miles and being seen by more than 175,000 people.” (U.S. News and World Report, “Can Democrats Close the Gap”, Sept. 25, 1972, Vol. LXXXIII, No.13, pg.17-22) McGovern knew that if he wanted to win, he had to focus on the important issues of 1972.
There were four very important issues: the war in Vietnam, the economy, foreign policy, and defense. The two major ones were the war in Vietnam and the economy. McGovern was sure that if he was elected president, he would be able to end the war. “We will be able to end the war by a simple plan that need not be kept secret: The immediate total withdrawal of all Americans from Southeast Asia.” (Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to U.S. Elections, “1972 Conventions”, Third ed., 1994, pg.127-132.)
McGovern goes on to say in another interview that “I will stake my whole political career on being able to withdraw our forces and get our prisoners out within 90 days after inauguration. I really think I can do it faster than that.” (U.S. News and World, “How McGovern Sees The Issues,” August 7, 1972, Vol. LXXIII No.6, pg.18-22)
McGovern, like everyoneelse wanted to end the war in Vietnam as soon as possible. McGovern feltthe Nixon could have ended the war years earlier, and could have spared allthose lives. “There’s nothing that we can negotiate now in ending thiswar thatwe couldn’t have done four years ago. We haven’t gained anything in thesefour years of continued slaughter that’s gone on in this presentAdministration.”8 “I’ll be one of those rejoicing even if Nixondoes end thiswar and it does accrue to his advantage.
I just wish he had done it fouryearsago. If he had, I might not now be running for the President.”McGovernmakes it seem as though his sole purpose, and reason for wanting to becomePresident is to simply end the Vietnam war.m Nixon along with the Republican party, and their platform stated that”
We will continue to seek a settlement of the Vietnam War which willpermitthe people of Southeast Asia to live in peace under political arrangements oftheir own choosing. We take specific note of the remaining major obstacle tosettlement-Hanoi’s demand that the United States overthrow the Saigongovernment and impose a Communist-dominated government on the SouthVietnamese. We stand unequivocally at the side of the President in his effortto negotiate honorable terms, and in his refusal to accept terms which woulddishonor this country.”
“We insist that, before all Americanforces arewithdrawn from Vietnam, American prisoners must be returned and a fullaccounting made of the missing in action and of those who have died in enemyhands.” (U.S. News and World Report, “Promises RepublicanMake,” Sept. 4, 1972, Vol. LXXIII No.10, pg.28-29) Although the Republicans held thebasic idea that the Democrats did, which was to end the war in Vietnam assoon as possible, they didn’t specify an allotted amount of time in whichtheywould accomplish this goal as did the Democrats.
The second major issue of 1972 was the economy. “The Nixonrecord increased unemployment by 3 million people.”8 There were pricefreezes, and wage-price controls. McGovern and the Democrats stated thattheir goal was for full employment, and for those who are unable to work,thatthey would receive a guaranteed income. “The heart of a program ofeconomic security based on earned income must be creating jobs and trainingpeople to fill them. Millions of jobs — real jobs, not make-work — need tobe provided. Public service employment must be greatly expanded in orderto make the government the employer of last resort and guarantee a job forall.”
First, I would reduce by approximately 10 billiondollars in each of the next three years the rapidly escalating, lavish Nixonmilitary budget. Current spending wastes billions of dollars on planes thatdonot fly, and missiles that will not work. I will never permit America to become a second-rate power in the world.
Neither can we permit America tobecome a second-rate society. And if we choose a reasonable military budget, we will not have to choose between the decline of our security andthe deterioration of our standard of life.”(U.S. News and World Report,”From McGovern: A New Blueprint For Taxes, Welfare,” Vol. LXXIIINo.11, pg.14-16)
Our country does not only need to be strong militarily but also economically. Our military is an important part of our economy, but it shouldn’t be one of the major influencing factors that determine the health of the economy. The Democrats feel that “Spending for military purposes is greater by far than federal spending for education, housing, environmental protection, unemployment insurance, or welfare.
Unneeded dollars for the military at once add to the tax burden and preempt funds from programs of direct and immediate benefit to our people. Moreover, too much that is now spent on defense not only adds nothing to our strength but makes us less secure by stimulating other countries to respond.”
Just as the Democrats want a healthy economy, the Republicans want the same thing. Our country needs a healthy economy to survive, and the Republicans feel they can give us that strong economy. “We stand for full employment–a job for everyone willing and able to work in an economy freed of inflation, its vigor not dependent upon war or massive military spending. We will fight for responsible federal budgets to help assure steady expansion of the economy without inflation. The right of American citizens to buy, hold or sell goods should be re-established as soon as this is feasible.”
The Republicans agree that the economy shouldn’t be based on war or huge amounts of defense expenses to keep our economy, but they also feel that the military is an important part of our country. Traditionally, the Republican party has always supported a strong military and feels it is necessary to keep America as one of the world’s strongest nations. President Nixon and the Republican party stated that “By adhering to a defense policy based on strength at home, partnership abroad, and a willingness to negotiate everywhere, we hold that lasting peace is now achievable.
We will not let America become a second-class power, dependent for survival on the goodwill of adversaries. We draw a sharp distinction between prudent reductions in defense spending and the meat-ax slashes with which some Americans are now beguiled by the political opposition. We wholeheartedly support an all-volunteer armed force and expect to end the draft by July 1973. We will continue to pursue arms-control agreements–but we recognize that this can be successful only if we maintain sufficient strength.”
Basically, Nixon and the Republican Party were stating that we need a strong military and a healthy economy, but cutting defense spending is not the solution to the economic problem.
Another major issue focused on during the election of 1972 was foreign policy. Senator McGovern and the Democratic party stated the next Democratic Administration should “End American participation in the war in Southeast Asia. Re-establish control over military activities and reduce military spending, where consistent with national security.
Defend America’s real interests and maintain our alliances, neither playing world policeman nor abandoning old and good friends. Not neglect America’s relations with small third-world nations in placing reliance on great power relationships. Return to Congress and the people a meaningful role in decisions on peace and war, and make information public, except where real national defense interests are involved.”
The Democratic party didn’t want other countries to look upon the U.S. as the policeman of the world. They also wanted to make sure the U.S. remained friendly with small third-world countries because we may need to trade with them, or we might need raw materials we don’t have.
The Republicans had a different idea on foreign policy. They said that ‘Never before has our country negotiated with so many nations on such a wide range of subjects — and never with greater success.’ They go on to say, ‘We will press for the expansion of contacts with the peoples of Eastern Europe and the People’s Republic of China, as long isolated from most of the world.’
The Republican Party wanted to improve relationships with countries that have been cut off from much of the world. The Republicans felt they were doing a good job with foreign policy and didn’t think they should change much of anything they were doing.
After all the months of campaigning and voting were through, Richard Nixon was reelected as the new President of the United States. ‘Nixon swept back into the White House on Nov. 7 with a devastating landslide victory over McGovern. He carried a record 49 states for a total of 520 electoral votes.’ Nixon did have a couple of advantages that McGovern didn’t have. For one, the people had confidence in him since he had been elected once before.
They knew what kind of President he was and what they as constituents could expect from him. Second, McGovern made a bad decision when he chose his vice presidential running mate. McGovern had chosen Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri. ‘Barely 10 days after the selection of the Democratic ticket, on July 25, Eagleton disclosed that he had voluntarily hospitalized himself three times between 1960 and 1966 for “nervous exhaustion and fatigue.”
McGovern strongly supported his running mate at the time, but in the following days, his support for the Missouri senator began to wane. After a meeting with McGovern on July 31, Eagleton withdrew from the ticket.’ Eagleton badly damaged McGovern’s image. The constituents lost their confidence in McGovern and in his decision-making power. They felt that McGovern might not make wise decisions if he was elected the next President of the U.S. McGovern also held somewhat radical views.
“Many felt that McGovern’sviewsmay have been more radical and outlandish than some had supported. After Nixon was elected to office.” It appeared in 1972 thatAmerican politics was entering an age of calm consensus. The economy wastemporarily strong: opposition to the Vietnam War had faded as the two sides negotiated in Paris for an end to the war.
In the summer of 1972, several employees of the Committee to Re-elect the President were arrested after they were discovered breaking into and bugging the Democratic National Committee’s offices at the posh Watergate complex in Washington. The break-in was not a major issue in the 1972 election, but the next year congressional committees began an investigation.
Along with the congressional committees’ investigation, two reporters from the Washington Post named Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein did some investigating of their own. They had a politician who knew about all that was going on with the Watergate scandal, nicknamed “Deep Throat.” Deep Throat supplied the two reporters with the information they needed to tear open the Watergate scandal. These two reporters opened up the Watergate scandal and all the participants involved.
During the investigation, a presidential aide revealed that Nixon had secretly taped Oval Office conversations with aides. When the Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox ordered Nixon to surrender the tapes, Nixon ordered Cox fired. Then the Supreme Court ruled that Nixon had to surrender even more tapes, which indicated that he had played an active role in covering up the Watergate scandal. Nixon resigned the presidency when his impeachment and conviction appeared certain.
The impeachment articles charged him with obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers, and contempt of Congress. President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. The Watergate affair was perhaps the greatest political scandal in U.S. history. For the first time, a president was forced to leave office before his term expired. Vice President Gerald Ford became the President of the United States. President Ford then granted Richard Nixon a full pardon for the crimes committed against the presidency and the people of the United States.
