See Also

Eugene McCarthy

Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician and a longtime member of the U.S. Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers [i] of the United States Congress [i] ... 

 from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate United States Senate

he United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States [i], the other b ... 

 from 1959 to 1971. In the 1968 presidential election United States presidential election, 1968

The U.S. presidential election of 1968 was a wrenching national experience, and included the assassination [i] ... 

, McCarthy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Democracy

Democracy is a form of government [i] for a nation state, or for an organiz ... 

 nomination for president of the United States President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state [i] of the United States [i]. ... 

 to succeed incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States [i] ... 

 on an anti-Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

 platform. He would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether.

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Timeline

1916   Born

1967   Minnesota Minnesota

Minnesota is a state [i] in the Midwestern [i] region of the United States [i] ... 

 Senator Eugene McCarthy announces his candidacy for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, challenging incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States [i] ... 

 over the Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

.


Quotations

Broken things are powerful.Things about to break are stronger still.The last shot from the brittle bow is truest.

"Courage After Sixty"

I have left Act I, for involutionAnd Act II. There, mired in complexityI cannot write Act III.

Now it is certain.There is no magic stone.No secret to be found.One must goWith the mind's winnowed learning.

"Courage After Sixty"

The maple tree that nightWithout a wind or rainLet go its leavesBecause its time had come.

"The Maple Tree"

We do not need presidents who are bigger than the country, but rather ones who speak for it and support it.

The New York Times (11 December 2005)

The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty.

Time magazine (12 February 1979)

       More Quotes >>


Encyclopedia

Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician and a longtime member of the U.S. Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers [i] of the United States Congress [i] ... 

 from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate United States Senate

he United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States [i], the other b ... 

 from 1959 to 1971.

In the 1968 presidential election United States presidential election, 1968

The U.S. presidential election of 1968 was a wrenching national experience, and included the assassination [i] ... 

, McCarthy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Democracy

Democracy is a form of government [i] for a nation state, or for an organiz ... 

 nomination for president of the United States President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state [i] of the United States [i]. ... 

 to succeed incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States [i] ... 

 on an anti-Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

 platform. He would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether.

Biography


The son of a deeply religious mother of German descent and strong-willed father of Irish descent who was a postmaster and cattle buyer known for his earthy wit, McCarthy grew up in Watkins, Minnesota Watkins, Minnesota

Watkins is a city in Meeker County [i], Minnesota [i], United States [i]. ... 

, as one of four children. A bright student who spent hours reading his aunt’s Harvard Classics, he was deeply influenced by the monks at nearby St. John’s Abbey and University. As part of the oldest religious order in the Western world, the St. John’s Benedictines have been among the most progressive forces in American Catholicism. McCarthy spent nine months as a novice before deciding he didn’t have a religious calling and left the monastery, causing a fellow novice to say, “It was like losing a 20-game winner.”

He was a 1935 graduate of St. John's University College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University

The College of Saint Benedict / Saint John's University is a joint academic institution in rural c... 

 in Collegeville, Minnesota, McCarthy earned his master's degree from the University of Minnesota University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, almost always abbreviated U of M, and sometimes referred... 

 in 1939. He taught in various public schools in Minnesota Minnesota

Minnesota is a state [i] in the Midwestern [i] region of the United States [i]... 

 and North Dakota North Dakota

North Dakota is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

 from 1935 to 1940, when he became a professor Professor

The meaning of the word professor varies.... 

 of economics Economics

In the social science [i]s, economics is the study of the production [i], ... 

 and education Education

Education is the process by which an individual is encouraged and enabled to develop fully his or her in... 

 at St. John's, working there from 1940 to 1943.

He was a civilian technical assistant in the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department United States Department of War

The United States Department of War was the department of the United States government's [i]... 

 in 1944 and an instructor in sociology Sociology

Sociology is the study of society and human social action.... 

 and economics at the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul, Minnesota


Saint Paul is the capital [i] and second-largest city [i] of the state [i] of Minnesota [i] ... 

 from 1946 to 1949.

McCarthy was a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is a major political party [i] in the US [i] ... 

. Representing Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District List of United States congressional districts

This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives [i] ... 

, McCarthy served as a member of the United States House of Representatives United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers [i] of the United States Congress [i] ... 

 from 1949 to 1959. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1958.

He went on to serve in the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971, and was a member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A resident of the small community Community

A community usually refers to a group [i] of people who interact and share certain things as a gr ... 

 of Woodville, Virginia for about 20 years in later life, Eugene McCarthy died in a retirement home in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

Georgetown is a neighborhood [i] located in the Northwest [i] quadrant [i] ... 

 on December 10, 2005, where he had lived for the previous few years.

The 1968 campaign

In 1968, McCarthy ran against incumbent President Lyndon Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States [i] ... 

 in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, with the intention of influencing the federal government Federal government of the United States

The government [i] of the United States of America [i], established by the U.S. Constitution [i]... 

—then controlled by Democrats Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties [i] in the United States [i] ... 

—to curtail its involvement in the Vietnam War. A number of anti-war college College

College is a term most often used today to denote an educational [i] institution [i]. ... 

 students and other activists from around the county traveled to New Hampshire New Hampshire

The State of New Hampshire is a state [i] in the New England [i] region of the northeastern United States [i]... 

 to support McCarthy's campaign. Some anti-war students who had the long-haired appearance of hippies Hippie

Hippie, occasionally spelled hippy, refers to a subgroup of the 1960s countercultural movement [i] ... 

 chose to cut their long hair and shave off their beards, in order to campaign for McCarthy door-to-door, a phenomenon that led to the informal slogan "Get clean for Gene."

When McCarthy scored 42% to Johnson's 49% on March 12, it was clear that deep division existed among Democrats on the war issue. By this time, Johnson had become inextricably defined by Vietnam Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

, and this demonstration of divided support within his party meant his reelection was unlikely. On March 31, Johnson announced that he would not seek reelection.

Despite strong showings in several primaries, McCarthy garnered only 23 percent of the delegates at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, largely due to the control of state party organizations over the delegate selection process. Other factors that contributed to the attrition of delegates for McCarthy included the entrance into the contest of Robert Kennedy Robert F. Kennedy

Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also called "RFK", was one of two younger brothers of President [i] ... 

 as an anti-war candidate a few days after McCarthy's strong showing in New Hampshire.

Kennedy was shot Robert F. Kennedy assassination

U.S. Senator [i] Robert F. Kennedy [i] was fatally wounded by a gunshot in Los Angeles [i] ... 

 after his victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, a speech he had delivered after midnight on June 5, after learning of his victory in the June 4 California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

 Democratic primary; he died earlier on the morning of June 6. After the assassination Assassination

Assassination is the deliberate killing of an important person, usually a political figure or other stra... 

, many delegates for Kennedy chose to support George McGovern George McGovern

Dr. George Stanley McGovern was a United States [i] Congressman [i] ... 

 rather than McCarthy. Moreover, although the eventual nominee, Vice President Vice President of the United States

The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government [i] ... 

 Hubert H. Humphrey Hubert Humphrey

Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. was the 38th Vice President of the United States [i], serving under Presid ... 

, was not a clearly anti-war candidate, there was hope among some anti-war Democrats that Humphrey as President might succeed where Johnson had failed—in extricating the United States from Vietnam.

Although McCarthy did not win the Democratic nomination, the anti-war "New Party," which ran several candidates for President that year, listed him as their nominee on the ballot in Arizona Arizona

Arizona is a U.S. state [i] located in the Southwestern United States [i]. ... 

, where he received 2,751 votes. He also received 20,721 votes as a write-in candidate in California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

.

In the aftermath of their chaotic 1968 convention in Chicago Chicago

Chicago is the largest city [i] in the U.S. state [i] of Illinois [i], as well as the third-most populous [i] ... 

, Democrats convened the McGovern-Fraser Commission to reexamine the manner in which delegates were chosen. The commission made a number of recommendations to reform the process, prompting widespread changes in Democratic state organizations and continual democratization of the nominating process for more than a decade. In response, the Republicans Republican Party (United States)

For a detailed history and bibliography see History of the United States Republican Party [i]. ... 

 also formed a similar commission. Because of these changes, the practical role of national party conventions United States presidential nominating convention

The United States presidential nominating convention is held every four years in the United States [i] b ... 

 diminished dramatically. The most immediately visible effect of the reforms was the eventual nomination of national unknown Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. was the 39th President of the United States [i] and the Nobel Peace laureate [i] ... 

 by the Democrats in 1976 United States presidential election, 1976

The U.S. presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon [i] in the... 

. Some have argued that the increased significance of primaries, which tend to not be dominated by party activists, has resulted in candidates who are more nationally palatable than those that might have been chosen in a "smoke-filled room."

Subsequent campaigns and career


McCarthy left his wife, Abigail, and family in 1969. They never divorced. McCarthy was rumored to be having a longterm affair with prominent columnist and journalist Shana Alexander.

After leaving the Senate in 1971, McCarthy became a senior editor at Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Publishing and a syndicated newspaper Newspaper

A newspaper is a publication [i] containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low ... 

 columnist.

McCarthy would return to politics as a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1972, but he faired poorly in New Hampshire New Hampshire

The State of New Hampshire is a state [i] in the New England [i] region of the northeastern United States [i]... 

 and Wisconsin Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a state [i] in the United States [i], located in the Midwest [i].... 

 and soon dropped out.

After the 1972 campaign, he left the Democratic Party, and ran as an Independent candidate for President in 1976. During that campaign, he took a libertarian Libertarianism

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Libertarianism is a political philosophy [i] advocating that individuals should be free to do ... 

 stance on civil liberties Civil liberties

Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms [i] that protect the individual from government. ... 

, promised to create full employment by shortening the work week Working time

Working time refers to the period of time that an individual spends at paid occupational labor.... 

, came out in favor of nuclear disarmament, and declared who he would nominate to various Cabinet United States Cabinet

The Cabinet is a part of the executive branch [i] of the U.S. federal government [i] ... 

 postings if elected. Mainly, however, he battled ballot access laws that he deemed too restrictive and encouraged voters to reject the two-party system.

His numerous legal battles during the course of the election, along with a strong grassroots effort in friendly states, allowed him to appear on the ballot in 30 states and eased ballot access for later third party candidates. His party affiliation was listed on ballots, variously, as "Independent," "McCarthy '76," "Non-Partisan," "Nom. Petition," "Nomination," "Not Designated," and "Court Order." Although he was not listed on the ballot in California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

 and Wyoming Wyoming

Wyoming is a state [i] of the western [i] United States [i]. ... 

, he was recognized as a write-in candidate in those states. In many states, he did not run with a vice presidential Vice President of the United States

The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government [i] ... 

 nominee, but he came to have a grand total of 15 running mates in states where he was required to have one. At least eight of his running mates were women.

He opposed Watergate-era campaign finance laws, becoming a plaintiff in the landmark case of Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 , in which the U.S. Supreme Court Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body [i] in the United States [i] ... 

 held that certain provisions of federal campaign finance laws were unconstitutional.

In 1988, his name appeared on the ballot as the Presidential candidate of a handful of left-wing state parties, such as the Consumer Party in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a state [i] in the northeastern [i] ... 

 and the Minnesota Progressive Party in Minnesota. In his campaign he supported trade protectionism, Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative Strategic Defense Initiative

The Strategic Defense Initiative , commonly called Star Wars [i] after the popular science fiction [i] ... 

  and the abolition of the two-party system. He received a grand total of 24,561 votes.

In 1992, returning to the Democratic Party, he entered the New Hampshire primary and campaigned for the Democratic Presidential nomination, but was excluded from most debates by party officials. McCarthy, along with other candidates excluded from the 1992 Democratic debates staged protests and unsuccessfully took legal action in an attempt to be included in the debates. In 2000, McCarthy was active in the movement to include Green Green Party (United States)

In United States [i] politics, the Green Party has been active as a third party [i] since t ... 

 candidate Ralph Nader Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader is an American [i] attorney and political activist [i]. ... 

 in the Presidential debates. In 2005, he was listed as a member of the board of advisors of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a largely honorary post. He remained a prolific writer, and authored several books on a variety of subjects. He was also a published poet.

McCarthy died at the age of 89 on December 10, 2005 at Georgetown Retirement Residence in Washington, DC Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. is the capital [i] city [i] of the United States of America [i]. ... 

 of complications from Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system [i] that affects the contro... 

. His eulogy was given by former President Bill Clinton Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States [i], serving from 1993 to ... 

.

Books by Eugene McCarthy

  • Frontiers in American Democracy
  • Dictionary of American Politics
  • A Liberal Answer to the Conservative Challenge
  • The Limits of Power: America's Role in the World
  • The Year of the People
  • A Political Bestiary, by Eugene J. McCarthy and James J. Kilpatrick
  • Gene McCarthy's Minnesota: Memories of a Native Son
  • Complexities and Contrarities
  • Up Til Now: A Memoir
  • Required Reading: A Decade of Political Wit and Wisdom
  • Nonfictional Economics: The Case for Shorter Hours of Work, by Eugene McCarthy and William McGaughey
  • A Colony of the World: The United States Today
  • Eugene J. McCarthy: Selected Poems by Eugene J. McCarthy, Ray Howe
  • No-Fault Politics
  • 1968: War and Democracy
  • Hard Years: Antidotes to Authoritarians
  • Parting Shots from My Brittle Brow: Reflections on American Politics and Life

External links

  • -- The New York Times The New York Times

    The New York Times is a newspaper [i] published in New York City [i] by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. [i] ... 

  • --Star Tribune Star Tribune

    The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state [i] of Minnesota [i] and is published se ... 

     of Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Minneapolis.
  • Minnesota State Highway 65 [i] follows Central Avenue through Northeast Minneapolis, and ... 

  • -- The Washington Post The Washington Post

    The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

  • -- The Economist The Economist

    The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication of The Economist Newspaper Ltd ... 

  • Article by George McGovern George McGovern

    Dr. George Stanley McGovern was a United States [i] Congressman [i] ... 

     in the The Nation The Nation

    The Nation is a U.S. [i] periodical [i] devoted to politics [i] and culture [i], self ... 

    , .
  • from the National Catholic Reporter

Sources