Friday, August 1, 2008

Today in political history, 1972

Democratic nominee George McGovern dumps his running mate, Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton. This came a week after it was revealed that Eagleton had undergone electro-shock therapy in the past to battle his depression. The folks at The Edge of the American West (as always) have much more.

I am too young to remember when Eagleton represented my home state in the U.S. Senate but I remember the old Senator well. He could be found as a political commentator on local television and was still well respected in the community, although in whispered tones even young boys like myself were told of what had happened in '72. Today the new Federal Courthouse in downtown St. Louis bears Senator Eagleton's name.

I wonder if anything would be different if such revelations were made today about a candidate? I'd like to think that we could have an open and honest discussion about depression and clinical treatments and the candidate could stay in the race. Somehow though I doubt that would happen.

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