It seems like yesterday

In 1972 the mood of the country had a slight edge....or better yet....edgy.....feeling.  It seemed that the entire youth of America was generally pissed off.  YOUTH BEING ANYONE UNDER 30. The President of the United States appeared to be the most unpopular person in America. The candidate running against him had a reputation as a peace-loving liberal who generally cared about his fellow human beings.

The Democratic candidate was George McGovern and I and millions of other young people were positive that the country knew what a RealDick was, and that George was the type of person to change the direction of our war hungry nation.

POSITIVE!

We had just finished the decade of assassinations, moon landings and student upheaval and everything just screamed at the new direction our country would take. A time of peace and a time of love....and most important a time of no more war.

POSITIVE!

WOW......THE MARGIN OF DEFEAT WAS DEVASTATING AND SENT THOSE OF US WHO WERE POSITIVE INTO A
SLUMP
THAT IN MY OPINION HAS LASTED TO THIS VERY DAY.

IT BLEW OUR MINDS

The margin of defeat simply stunned an entire generation into shock.

HOW COULD THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS NOT SEE WHAT RICHARD NIXON WAS.....
A PARANOID SNAKE EYED CRAZY DUDE

AND HOW COULD THEY NOT SEE THAT GEORGE MC GOVERN WAS A HONEST INTELLIGENT HUMAN BEING WHO WANTED ORDER RESTORED THROUGH COMPASSION AND LOVE.

WE WERE POSITIVE THAT GEORGE WOULD KICK DICK'S ASS AND AMERICA WOULD BE BACK ON TRACK.

POSITIVE!

I'm fairly certain that George was aware of polls and numbers and realities that gave him no chance in hell of winning but I don't remember anything that indicated what the margin of defeat would be.

I THOUGHT EVERYBODY HATED RICHARD NIXON

I THOUGHT EVERYBODY LOVED GEORGE MC GOVERN

OBVIOUSLY I AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE FROM MY GENERATION WERE SIMPLY
WAY
TOO
HIGH

There's no other explanation.

George McGovern passed away yesterday. 

I've used the following expression 500 times in my life and will continue to use it every time I make a sports or political prediction

...."but keep in mind that I thought McGovern would kick Nixon's ass in 72, so obviously I have no idea what's going on."

George McGovern lived a full and involved life and I'm sure he changed levels with no regrets..

He shall always hold a special place in my life....but then again always and positive are words that might originate from the same source.

That source might be the Land of Fantasy!

I know that land quite well

RIP George!

Michael Timothy McAlevey