Anti-War and McGovern in 1972 [View All]

[AX10]

I have a theory as to why George McGovern lost so badly in 1972.
By this time, America had solidly turned against the Vietnam War and Nixon made a promise of peace (even though the war did not end until 1975). Since the Great Depression, the Democratic Party had been the major political force nationally. While it was Secretary of State John Foster Dulles who began America's involvement in Vietnam, it was a Democrat, Lyndon Johnson who escalated our involvement. Johnson, therefore and rightfully took most of the blame for what transpired. Americans saw the Democratic party as the ones who got us involved in such a horrific conflict, not the Republicans. Even though McGovern is a good man and Anti-Vietnam War, there was a sutble but widespread distrust of the Democrats ability to be President, that is they got us into the war and screwed it up, therefore we shouldn't vote them back into power. The GOP was able to build an alternative approach for our National Security Policy. That distrust cost McGovern the 1972 election.

In 2006, we have a similar situation in the middle east, but this time, it is the Republicans who got us into this mess. This time around, it is the GOP who is not trusted. We Democrats must build a new approach to our national security policy if we want to win. The door has been opened. This is the last issue that we must reclaim in order become the party of the majority once again.

Please consider this.

-Thank You