The Presidential Election Of 1972 Essay Research free essay sample

The Presidential Election Of 1972 Essay, Research Paper The Presidential election of 1972 had two strong campaigners, President Richard Nixon and George McGovern. There were many issues which had a great trade of importance to the election. The Vietnam war and the stableness of the economic system at the clip were two chief factors. The election ended in one the largest political dirts in U.S. history, being the Watergate housebreaking, and cover-up, by President Richard Nixon. The Democratic party had a big choice of campaigners from which to choose for the primary elections of 1972. There were many good known campaigners who entered the race for the nomination. The taking rivals were Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota and Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota. Other campaigners who didn # 8217 ; t have rather every bit much acknowledgment were Alabama governor George C. Wallace, Mayor Sam Yorty of Los Angeles, Rep. We will write a custom essay sample on The Presidential Election Of 1972 Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Wilbur D. Mills of Arkansas, 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 a series of presidential primaries. # 8221 ; ( Congressional Quarterly, # 8220 ; Guide to U.S. Elections # 8221 ; , Third ed. , 1994, pg.603-605. ) 5 Governor Wallace had a annihilating minute in his run while in Maryland. # 8220 ; In early May a ill immature adult male named Arthur Bremer altered the political relations of 1972. As Governor Wallace campaigned toward certain triumph in the Maryland primary, Bremer stepped frontward out of a shopping-center crowd and shooting him four times. Wallace survived, but at the cost of being paralyzed from the waist down. Maryland # 8217 ; s electors surged out on election twenty-four hours to give Wallace a immense triumph, his last of 1972. While Wallace recuperated, the 1000000s who would have voted for him as a Democratic or independent campaigner began to travel in overpowering proportions behind the campaigning began to travel in overpowering proportions behind the campaigning of Richard Nixon. # 8221 ; ( Benton, William. # 8220 ; U.S. Election of 1972. # 8221 ; Encyclopedia Britannica Book of the Year. pg.12-13, 1973 ed. ) 1 When the California primary was nearing, Humphrey tried to salvage the nomination for himself. # 8220 ; Humphrey excoriated his old senate friend ( McGovern ) for his expensive thoughts on public assistance and his desire to cut the defence budget. It about worked. But McGovern won all of California # 8217 ; s elephantine deputation, and round Humphrey 44.3 % to 39.1 % in the popular vote. # 8221 ; 5 That loss spelled out the terminal for Humphrey # 8217 ; s Democratic nomination. Many felt Edmund Muskie was certain to win the Democratic nomination for the election of 1972. # 8220 ; All political perceivers agreed on the certainty that Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine would be the Democratic party # 8217 ; s nominee. # 8221 ; 1 # 8220 ; As the favorite, he wanted to trap the nomination early and so was committed to running in all of the first eight presidential primaries. Prominent Democratic politicians lined up thirstily to back him. Among them: Gov. John Gilligan of Ohio ; Leonard Woodcock, President of the United Auto Workers ; Iowa Senator Harold Hughes ; and Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp. # 8221 ; 1 Muskie had many protagonists, and a good opportunity of having the nomination, possibly even going the following President of the United States. President Nixon knew that Muskie had a good opportunity of winning and felt he had to make something to acquire Muskie out of the race. Nixon had seven work forces who were loyal to him do up false imperativeness releases about Muskie, and his married woman. These imperativeness releases claimed that Muskie had had personal businesss with both work forces and adult females, that he beat his married woman, and so the topper which claimed that Muskies # 8217 ; married woman was an alcoholic. These false statements destroyed Muskies # 8217 ; run and repute of being a composure trusty campaigner. Then one twenty-four hours # 8220 ; mounting the bed of a truck parked outside the offices of the archconservative Manchester Union Leader, Muskie launched an onslaught on the paper # 8217 ; s publishing house, William Loeb. As he spoke of Loeb # 8217 ; s uncomplimentary comments about Mrs. Muskie, the senator # 8217 ; s voice cracked, and the crowd saw cryings organize in his eyes. # 8221 ; 1 This incident severely dented Muskie # 8217 ; s image. After that event, people saw Muskie as a weak individual. They didn # 8217 ; T want a weak individual running the state. # 8220 ; Muskie had finished 4th in Pennsylvania, behind victor Humphrey, Wallace, and McGovern, and a distant second to McGovern in Massachusetts. He so withdrew with dignity. # 8221 ; 1 Muskie subsequently said of this incident: # 8220 ; It changed people # 8217 ; s heads about me, of what sort of a cat I was. They were looking for a strong, steady adult male, and here I was weak. # 8221 ; # 8221 ; ( Congressional Quarterly, # 8220 ; Chronology of Presidential Elections # 8221 ; , Fourth erectile dysfunction. 1994, pg.329-330 ) 6 After a long primary run, and all the primary elections, Senator George McGovern won the nomination for the Democratic party in the 1972 presidential election. # 8220 ; McGovern did non acquire to present his credence address # 8211 ; possibly the best address of his calling # 8211 ; until 2:48 ante meridiem, when most telecasting viewing audiences were already in bed. # 8221 ; 6 Senator McGovern had a hard run in front of him. His resistance, President Richard Nixon, already had the upper manus on him because he had been elected President four old ages earlier. President Nixon was the Republican campaigner. # 8220 ; President Richard Nixon told a newsman that # 8220 ; the election was over the twenty-four hours he ( Sen. George McGovern ) was nominated. # 8221 ; # 8220 ; 1 McGovern campaigned really hard. # 8220 ; Between September 3 and September 15, the South Dakotan barnstormed through 29 metropoliss and towns in 18 provinces covering some 14,000 stat mis and being seen by more than 175,000 people. # 8221 ; ( U.S. News and World Report, # 8220 ; Can Democrats Close the Gap, Sept. 25, 1972, Vol. LXXXIII, No.13, pg.17-22 ) 3 McGovern knew, if he wanted to win, he had to concentrate on the of import issues of 1972. There were four really of import issues. These were the war in Vietnam, the economic system, foreign policy, and defence. The two major 1s were the war in Vietnam, and the economic system. McGovern was certain that if he was elected president, he would be able to stop the war. # 8220 ; We will be able to stop the war by a simple program that need non be kept secret: The immediate entire backdown of all Americans from Southeast Asia. # 8221 ; ( Congressional Quarterly # 8217 ; s Guide to U.S. Elections, # 8220 ; 1972 Conventions # 8221 ; , Third ed. , 1994 pg..127-132. ) 4 McGovern goes on to state in another interview that # 8220 ; I will interest my whole political calling on being able to retreat our forces and acquire our captives out within 90 yearss after startup. I truly think I can make it faster than that. # 8221 ; ( U.S. News and World, # 8220 ; How McGovern Sees The Issues, # 8221 ; August 7, 1972, Vol. LXXIII No.6, pg.18- 22 ) 8 McGovern, like everyone else wanted to stop the war in Vietnam every bit shortly as possible. McGovern felt the Nixon could hold ended the war old ages earlier, and could hold spared all those lives. # 8220 ; There # 8217 ; s nil that we can negociate now in stoping this war that we couldn # 8217 ; Ts have done four old ages ago. We haven # 8217 ; T gained anything in these four old ages of continued slaughter that # 8217 ; s gone on in this present Administration. # 8221 ; 8 # 8220 ; I # 8217 ; ll be one of those joying even if Nixon does stop this war and it does accrue to his advantage. I merely wish he had done it four old ages ago. If he had, I might non now be running for the President. # 8221 ; 8 McGovern makes it look as though his sole intent, and ground for desiring to go President is to merely stop the Vietnam war. Nixon along with the Republican party, and their platform stated that # 8220 ; We will go on to seek a colony of the Vietnam War which will allow the people of Southeast Asia to populate in peace under political agreements of their ain choosing. We take specific note of the staying major obstruction to settlement-Hanoi # 8217 ; s demand that the United States overthrow the Saigon authorities and enforce a Communist-dominated authorities on the South Vietnamese. We stand unambiguously at the side of the President in his attempt to negociate honest footings, and in his refusal to accept footings which would disgrace this country. # 8221 ; 4 # 8220 ; We insist that, before all American forces are withdrawn from Vietnam, American captives must be returned and a full accounting made of the losing in action and of those who have died in enemy hands. # 8221 ; ( U.S. News and World Report, # 8220 ; Promises Republican Make, # 8221 ; Sept. 4, 1972, Vol. LXXIII No.10, pg.28-29 ) 2 Although the Republicans held the basic thought that the Democrats did, which was to stop the war in Vietnam every bit shortly as possible, they didn # 8217 ; t stipulate an allotted sum of clip in which they would carry through this end as did the Democrats. The 2nd major issue of 1972 was the economic system. # 8220 ; The Nixon record increased unemployment by 3 million people. # 8221 ; 8 There were monetary value freezings, and wage-price controls. McGovern and the Democrats stated that their end was for full employment, and for those who are unable to work, that they would have a guaranteed income. # 8220 ; The bosom of a plan of economic security based on earned income must be making occupations and developing people to make full them. Millions of occupations # 8211 ; existent occupations, non busywork # 8212 ; need to be provided. Public service employment must be greatly expanded in order to do the authorities the employer of last resort and warrant a occupation for all. # 8221 ; # 8220 ; What I offer is a balanced, full- employment economic system # 8211 ; where we can supply plenty, both to protect our involvement abroad and to convey advancement at home. # 8221 ; 4 gt ; Part of McGovern # 8217 ; s economic program included defence disbursement cut dorsums. # 8220 ; What I offer is non merely a set of promises, but a specific program to pay for those promises. First, I would cut down by about 10 billion dollars in each of the following three old ages the quickly escalating, munificent Nixon armed forces budget. Current disbursement wastes one million millions of dollars on planes that do non wing, and missiles that will non work. I will neer allow America to go a mediocre power in the universe. Neither can we allow America to go a mediocre society. And if we choose a sensible military budget, we will non hold to take between the diminution of our security and the impairment of our criterion of life. # 8221 ; ( U.S. News and World Report, # 8220 ; From McGovern: A New Blueprint For Taxes, Welfare, # 8221 ; Vol. LXXIII No.11, pg.14-16 ) 7 Our state does non merely demand to be strong militarily but besides economically. Our military is an of import portion of our economic system, but it shouldn # 8217 ; t be one of the major influencing factors that determines the wellness of the economic system. The Democrats felt that # 8220 ; Spending for military intents is greater by far than federal disbursement for instruction, lodging, environmental protection, unemployment insurance or public assistance. Unnecessary dollars for the armed forces at one time add to the revenue enhancement load and preemptive bid financess from plans of direct and immediate benefit to our people. Furthermore, excessively much that is now spent on defence non merely adds nil to our strength but makes us less secure by exciting other states to respond. # 8221 ; 4 Merely as the Democrats want a healthy economic system the Republicans want the same thing. Our state needs a healthy economic system to last, and the Republicans feel they can give us that strong economic system. # 8220 ; We stand for full employment # 8211 ; a occupation for everyone willing and able to work in an economic system freed of rising prices, its energy non dependent upon war or monolithic military disbursement. We will contend for responsible federal budgets to assist guarantee steady enlargement of the economic system without rising prices. The right of American citizens to purchase, keep or sell goods should be re-established every bit shortly as this is feasible. # 8221 ; 2 The Republicans agree that the economic system shouldn # 8217 ; t be based on war or immense sums of defence disbursals to maintain our economic system, but they besides feel that the armed forces is an of import portion of our state. Traditionally the Republican party has ever supported a strong military, and feels it is necessary to maintain America as one of the universe # 8217 ; s strongest states. President Nixon, and the Republican party stated that # 8220 ; By adhering to a defence policy based on strength at place, partnership abroad and a willingness to negociate everyplace, we hold that enduring peace is now accomplishable. We will non allow America go a second-class power, dependant for endurance on the good will of antagonists. We draw a crisp differentiation between prudent decreases in defence disbursement and the meat-ax cuts with which some Americans are now beguiled by the political resistance. We wholeheartedly support an all-volunteer armed force and anticipate to stop the bill of exchange by July, 1973. We will go on to prosecute arms-control understandings # 8211 ; but we recognize that this can be successful merely if we maintain sufficient strength. # 8221 ; 2 Basically Nixon and the Republican Party were saying that we need a strong military and a healthy economic system, but cutting defence disbursement is non the solution to the economic job. Another major issue focused on during the election of 1972 was foreign policy. Senator McGovern, and the Democratic party stated the following Democratic Administration should # 8220 ; End American engagement in the war in Southeast Asia. Re-establish control over military activities and cut down military disbursement, where consistent with national security. Defend America # 8217 ; s existent involvements and keep our confederations, neither playing universe police officer nor abandoning old and good friends. Not neglect America # 8217 ; s dealingss with little third-world states in puting trust on great power relationships. Tax return to Congress, and the people, a meaningful function in determinations on peace and war, and do information public, except where existent national defence involvements are involved. # 8221 ; 4 The Democratic party didn # 8217 ; t want other states to look upon the U.S. as the police officer of the universe. They besides wanted to do certain the U.S. remained friendly with little 3rd universe states, because we may necessitate to merchandise with them, or we might necessitate natural stuffs we don # 8217 ; Ts have. The Republicans had a different thought on foreign policy. They said that # 8220 ; Never before has our state negotiated with so many states on so broad a scope of topics # 8212 ; and neer with greater success. # 8221 ; They go on to state # 8220 ; We will imperativeness for enlargement of contacts with the peoples of Eastern Europe and the People # 8217 ; s Republic of China, as long isolated from most of the world. # 8221 ; 2 The Republican Party wanted to better the relationships with states that have been cut off from much of the universe. The Republicans felt they were making a good occupation with foreign policy, and didn # 8217 ; t think they should alter much of anything they were making. After all the months of candidacy, and vote were through, Richard Nixon was reelected the new President of the United States. # 8220 ; Nixon swept back into the White House on Nov. 7 with a annihilating landslide triumph over McGovern. He carried a record of 49 provinces for a sum of 520 electoral votes. # 8221 ; 5 Nixon did hold a twosome of advantages that McGovern didn # 8217 ; t. For one, the people had assurance in him since he had been elected one time earlier. They cognize what sort of a President he was, and what they as the components could anticipate from him. Second, McGovern made a bad determination when he chose his frailty president running mate. McGovern had chosen Sen. Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri. # 8220 ; Barely 10 yearss after choice of the Democratic ticket, on July 25, Eagleton disclosed that he voluntarily had hospitalized himself three times between 1960 and 1966 for # 8220 ; nervous exhaustion and weariness. # 8220 ; McGovern strongly supported his running mate at the clip, but in the undermentioned yearss, his support for the Missouri senator began to decline. After a meeting with McGovern on July 31, Eagleton withdrew from the ticket. # 8221 ; 4 Eagleton severely damaged the image of McGovern. The components lost their assurance in McGovern and in his determination doing power. They felt that McGovern may non do wise determinations if he was elected the following President of the U.S. McGovern was besides slightly extremist positions. # 8220 ; CRP focused early and frequently on the more radical-sounding positions of McGovern, foregrounding his support of amnesty for immature people who fled to Canada to avoid the bill of exchange, his erstwhile contemplations that marijuana might better be legalized, and his purported support of legalized abortion. # 8221 ; 1 Many felt that McGovern # 8217 ; s positions may hold been more extremist and bizarre than some had supported. After Nixon was elected to office, # 8220 ; It appeared in 1972 that American political relations was come ining an age of unagitated consensus. The economic system was temporarily strong: resistance to the Vietnam War had faded as the two sides negotiated in Paris for an terminal to the war. # 8221 ; 6 Then in Nixon # 8217 ; s political calling # 8220 ; A warlike atmosphere between the media ( every bit good as other sensed enemies of the disposal that appeared on Nixon # 8217 ; s # 8220 ; enemies list # 8221 ; ) and the mushrooming Watergate dirt combined to make a dark side to U.S. political relations in the 1970 # 8217 ; s. At its simplest degree, the Watergate matter was # 8220 ; a third-rate burglary # 8221 ; and a subsequent cover-up by President Nixon and his Plutos. In the summer of 1972, several employees of the Committee to Re-elect the President were arrested after they were discovered interrupting into and teasing the Democratic National Committee # 8217 ; s offices at the classy Watergate composite in Washington. The housebreaking was non a major issue in the 1972 election, but the following twelvemonth congressional commissions began an investigation. # 8221 ; 6 Along with the congressional commissions probe, two newsmans from the Washington Post, named Bob Woodward, and Carl Berstein did some investigation of their ain. They had a politician who cognize about all that was traveling on with the Watergate dirt, nicknamed # 8220 ; Deep Throat. # 8221 ; Deep Throat supplied the two newsmans with the information they needed to rupture unfastened the Watergate dirt. These two newsmans open up the Watergate dirt, and all the participants involved. # 8220 ; During the probe, a presidential adjutant revealed that Nixon had in secret taped Oval Office conversations with Plutos. When the Watergate particular prosecuting officer Archibald Cox ordered Nixon to give up the tapes, Nixon ordered Cox fired. Then the Supreme Court ruled that Nixon had to give up even more tapes, which indicated that he had played an active function in covering up the Watergate dirt. Nixon resigned the presidential term when his impeachment and strong belief appeared certain. The impeachment articles charged him with obstructor of justness, maltreatment of presidential powers and disdain of Congress. President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. The Watergate matter was possibly the greatest political dirt in U.S. history. For the first clip, a president was forced to go forth office before his term expired. # 8221 ; 6 Vice President Gerald Ford became the President of the United States. President Ford so granted Richard Nixon a full forgiveness of the offenses committed against the presidential term, and the people of the United States. 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