A great man has died. Though largely unrecognized in his day for his immense moral calibre and yea, even spiritual stature - except for a supposed gaffe/faux pas deemed then and now by the superficial media elite as fatal to his political chances (i.e. his declaring himself entirely, completely, absolutely, "1000%" behind his first vice-presidential running mate of 1972, then Missouri Senator Thomas (Tom) Eagleton, later replaced with/by Peace Corps' Director Sargent Shriver, because of Eagleton's 'mental illness' - depression and having undergone electro-shock therapy) - the man towers head and shoulders above and beyond such petty and all-too-predictable evaluations/assessments/historical judgments.
George McGovern, one-time and long-serving Senator for South Dakota - until the Reagan Republican landslide of 1980 - and Democratic Presidential Nominee against Richard Nixon in 1972, was probably the first politician, alongside perhaps Aotearoa-New Zealand's own idealistic and idealism-inspiring short-lived Prime Minister Norman Kirk (of the same era), to inspire Yours Truly. A man of simple convictions, of heartfelt integrity, moreover of decency and civility - admittedly in an era notably and largely lacking the rudeness and incivility and extremely polarized political discourse of today's American (and Western) politics, Mr McGovern served his state - and nation - well. Irrespective of whether he achieved the ultimate political office. Those attaining such positions aren't always the most deserving let alone effectively redeeming of such immense privileges anyhow - so conspicuously the case in this instance.
Not for him the extremely cynical and again, oh-so-typical epithet applied to all politicians by Newstalk ZB's 'Drivetime Show' host Larry Williams the other day, who in commentating upon President Obama's supposedly superior performance in the recent second U.S. presidential debate, remarked that "[of course] President Obama lied...but they all lie, politics is [all] about the art of bending the truth". Whether such is or more specifically was true of Obama in said debate is itself a debatable point no doubt, and one I have no intention much less desire here of traversing...indeed like most folks I'm really probably not in a position to know - and ditto vis-a-vis Obama's opponent Mitt Romney - but I will say this: though such a characterization would certainly seem 'equally' applicable to Mr McGovern's renowned, yea infamous, even notorious 1972 presidential adversary - the ill-fated, impeached 37th President of the United States - it's not remotely applicable to George McGovern. If he had any fault, much like Yours Truly, it was in being far too open and candid about his views on this, that and the other: to use the rather hackneyed phrase, he wore his heart upon his sleeve.
'When all is said and done' Mr McGovern - the last surviving major presidential contender (successful or otherwise) from the pre-Reagan era, barring President Jimmy Carter - was more than anything else a supremely decent human being. And surely there's not a better tribute one can be paid, is there?
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