EUGENE MCCARTHY (1916-2005)

[Zlatko Waterman]

The "Generation of 1968" of which I am a living part, remembers Eugene McCarthy, the senator from Minnesota and the contender against the War party in the 1968 Presidential election.

It was another war and another war party then, but really pretty much the same set of circumstances as now. We were going to rescue a people from themselves-- stem the tide of bad guys and win the day-- peace, prosperity, Coke and McDonald's.

McCarthy was a poet, and not even a bad one. Robert Lowell was a friend of his, and the joke was that if he had spent more time campaigning instead of drinking with Lowell and making up poems, he might have won the Presidency.

He's remembered by John Nichols here:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=42080

And here are some of his poems, in case you thought he was just a politician:

http://www.thecie.org/gene/index.asp?s=POEMS


I suppose Gene McCarthy is tied up with my memories of being young and in college and confused by many things and too dead certain about others. I was twenty-three when he ran for President, and I even stepped out of my then role as hard-leftist and campaigned a little for the Democrats.

But it was easier to admire McCarthy as a poet than as a politician, something which I find in his favor now, after his death at 89 yesterday.

George McGovern would try to unseat the Nix-giver himself, and fail. Too many pizzas sent by henchmen, too many phony letters about Muskie on the tv--Donald Segretti triumphs!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Segretti


But then there was that little break-in at that office in The Watergate . . .


(another view of McCarthy and his contribution--added a few hours later)

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1211-22.htm




--Z

[Zlatko Waterman]

The current generation of "Statespersons"--

"Fried Rice in Hot Water . . ." ( Ray McGovern)


http://www.antiwar.com/mcgovern/?articleid=8244

[tinkerjack]

Rest in peace Clean Gene.
He turned me around on the war.

[surfermike]

Gene was very cool. He gave hope of
peace while my war raged, and with me
in it I might add. I can't help but wonder
if he'll get to meet President Nixon in the afterlife.

"hello gene."

"dick"

"the sweet and sour pork is fine every Friday evening"

"thanks anyhow dick, but I'm with God, and , well... see
ya dick."
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