Cspan three. Brought to you today by your television provider. Many americans thought they were voting to bring our sons home from vietnam in peace and since then 20,000 of our sons have come home in coffins. I have no secret plan for peace. I have a public plan and as one whose heart has ached for the past temperature years over the agony of vietnam, i will halt the senseless bombing of china on inaugural day. It was 2 30 in the morning when George Mcgovern delivered his acceptance speech. He would lose badly to president Richard Nixon. Were live from the museum in mitche mitchell south dakota. Why is it 2 30 in the morning . The reason i think it was embl emblemmatic. And what happened was that as you heard the senator there, he was very, very strong on the issue of vietnam. One of the things that has drawn me is one of the most flufl of those that ran for the presidency but was not successful. I think he did two things. One he spoke about that war in ways that no president ial candidate had spoken before. It was very Strong Language that unset unsett unsettled a lot of americans. So it was the established democrats and there was a lot of conflict there that blaed over into the convention. There was floor fights. There was issues overiseeding te california delegation. And the Convention Just got out of hand for him. When it was time to accept the nomination it was 2 30 in the morning. So he only spoke to about 15 million americans so he said it was insomniacs or people that fell asleep in front of the tv. Were going to do a deep dive as well, first joining us here from our studios in washington, a political reporter, columnist, and author of the campaign for the los angeles times, featured prominently in tim crouses book on the bus. So tell us what is the atmosphere at the con frengs in 1972 . Skaugs. One of the reasons he gave the speech so late is that the fights continued to go on other various issues including the war in vietnam even though the platform had been adopted. And it played out the next morning, they had to decide who would be the Vice President. It was done in a very unsettling way. It lead to the most i did sas thousands part of the campaign. But in the Convention Hall that night, are the people with him . Are they still there . It is 2 30 in the morning. Yeah, the followers, many had never been to a convention before. As a result of new rules in selection of delegates, it was initiated on a commission. There was people that had not been to any convention. They had not been involved in pliblgs before then. It was, at any convention, staying up it is not unusual, anyway. But he was forced to give that very, very important speech so early in the morning. Scott, let me go back to you in mitchell, south dakota. What is happening in our country at this time in 1972 that leads to the triumph of an antiwar nomination. He quite literally changed the complexion of the modern Democratic Party. Before they had built their base around what was called the new Deal Coalition. It was urban ethics. But by 1972, because of the divisions that were exposed by this division over vietnam, he was one in the Democratic Party that thought the party needed to reform or it would die. He saw that the party was losing a southern white populous over the issue of civil rights. He saw that urban ethnics were moving out to the suburbs and that organized labor was shrinking in influence and size. He said he saw there was opportunities for growth by reaching out to minority groups that had been ignored by both parties. By reaching out to women that previously voted strongly on the republican side. By reaching out to the youth vote in 1972. The first year that 18yearolds would get to vote at the United States. He was trying to put together a new coalition. A Politics Coalition to deal with the new Deal Coalition to create this ruling and democratic majority. So coming out of the 68 convention, he chaired a commission on reform, changing the delegate Selection Process that was very proactive in terms of trying to bring minority, women, and young into the party. So other elements like organized labor resented that their influence would diminish. So it is a very wild ride. Because of what they were able to put through the party he had an advantage and upsetting the preferred establishment candidate, at least the one that had been considered the favorite, they caught the establishment off guard and as his success built up, it was a very tough year for the Democratic Party in 1972 as they were solidifying around nixon and his presidency, probably the high point, was 1972. That was the year that he famously went to china among other things. We will talk more about that later on in the program, but part of the acceptance speech was about reforming the Democratic Party. He also takes aim at the Republican Party and it is being held shortly after the democrats also in miami. Take a look. We have had our furry, frustrations in the past month and at this convention. But frankly i welcome the contrast with the smug and dull and empty events that will doubtless take place here in miami next month. We reformed our party and we let the people in. So we stand today, not as a collection of back room strategies, not as a tool of itt or any other social interest. Scott, it was George Mcgovern saying we let the people in. Take us back to the time where he gets the connection. Well, lets go back to 1965. He is maintaining the course, he believes that america can achieve a outright military victory in iran. So he starts shopping for an alternative to the johnson. You think back to American History and prior to 1968 when the party tried to challenge the sitting president. It was 1912 when you have a former president , and even a former president could not knock off a sitting president for the nomination. But they want today pressure johnson to try to quickly end the war and deescalate in vietnam. They approached mcgovern and he declined. But they decided to run as an antiwar candidate. He surprised the political world by having a strong showing against president johnson. He didnt win but he got enough of the vote that he made johnson aware that he would have a very tough time getting the nomination. So he decided to withdrawal from the race. So they entered the president ial contest, and they were both going after it and Vice President humphrey still supported the war and policies of johnson. What senator kennedy was of course assassinated in june, and that really left only senator mccarthy to be the insurgent candidate. Senator kennedys followers urged senator mcgovern to have a token candidacy at the end. So mcgovern did run a token presidency. But the nomination went to Hubert Humphrey. Not only had he not won a if i thinkle primary, but the Democratic Party was still being run by the big city political bosses, the machines, and they want today have under respected constituencies brought into the process. They wanted the endire procetir brought up, and they were widely advertised for anyone to participate into it was a disillusionment that put pressure on the Democratic Party to try to appease the insurgency. It was really the mum fri nomination that outraged the reformers and skauzed them to demand fundamental change. Youre covering the 68 conventi convention, what is happening in the hall and outside. It was chaos. They, the party itself was so divided other tver the war and permits. The Police Department repressed, it was a big fight over a vietnam plank that the antiwar force is lost, but generated tremendous heat. And it continued through the convention. And even after the nomination of h h humfrey, he was a sad figure in his own celebratory moment. He knew what was going on on the street. And on the floor of the convention, there was such a criticism of him and the continuing of the war. So that was in my experience, that was the most disruptive, and also the most exciting convention in my time. And compare how humphrey was chosen as the nominee in 68 to four years later the way that mcgovern is chosen. There was a lot to do with the reform rules. Because in 1968 delegates were largely selected as they had been for years by point or party bosses, party bosses, and if you were a party o specifficial you free ticket. It was the position as an Office Holder or a party Office Holder. And in 1972 those people, in order to get to the convention had to run as delegates supporting one of the primary candidates. A lot of them picked the wrong horse because they supported the establishment candidate and he had all of those Office Holders bulli pulling for him. But when his fell apart. Here is part of our Contender Series this evening in washington to help us uncover George Mcgovern. Back in mitchell south dakota, and theyre going to take your comments and your questions tonight. And mountain pacific time, 202 74 7470202. Let go back to the reform thats were headed by George Mcgovern. Well, as mentioned, it was chaos after 1968 and despite all of that chaos, he closed the gap very quickly. So the regulars were thinking we came very close. If we had not had all of this agitation we would have been fine, but they are saying it was the last gasp of a dieing political machine into humphry wanted to unite the party. So as they look to figure out the right guy for the chair, they have to look to several qualifications. But they also wanted someone loin to the party. And mcgovern, unlike mccarthy and other folks, like an iowa senator, harold hughs, he actively campaigned. It was a way to ensure their nomination. He seemed like an obviously choice. His candidacy was such a long shot it wasnt even worth discussing. So he was appointed to be the chair. There was about two dozen members. They say how were they able to push reforms through. The people that did that was the people most likely opposed to the reform. They boycotted the entire process they brought up the process while the old regulars, particularly organized labor, didnt think it was worth bothering with. They didnt think anything would come of it. So what were the reforms . What did they say . First they went to start the p process and the caucus requires to make it open and you can if youre a Party Official and you got a chance to be a delegate. Sometimes they could also name practices so they tried to occupy up the process general low pressure. So they want today make it more voter responsive. They want today give minority candidates and insurgent candidates a better chance to build steam and take an establishment candidate in the run. More controversially they decided instead of a passive approach, they adopted the reflect of the make up of a States Parties by gender, ethnicity, and race and by age. And they were trying to get more women and more minorities into the race. They said they should try to get reasonable representation of those groups. So they had quotas saying that each should be including a female. And those were the basic gist of the reforms by the mission. And those reforms stick today . They very much do. What is interesting is that they were brought by conservatives and republicans as a quo ta system. It was quotas and an affirmative action program. But now both parties have the reform. If there is call causes theyre widely publicized. And now they are reaching out. If you go to a republican convention, 50 of the delicaees would be female. So in 1968 con vevention 48 we women. In 197212 to 13 were into there was change for what it looked like. For the impact today, is there a long term impact. The iowa caucus is coming up very soon. Indeed, the reforms help nonestablishment candidates get a foothold. You have volunteers that will now up at caucuses and primaries. You can overcome disadvantages with endorsements and money. As republicans have followed suit, and president obama doesnt look like he will get a challenger, but in the 2012 process, this is the first year that there will be no winner take all primaries on their side of the ledger. So Newt Gingrich is filling that roll this year, and he is trying to get a leg up on the establishment candidate. The irony is that Newt Gingrich is benefitting from reforms brought by George Mcgovern. They have stayed with us and involved both parties, not just the democrats. Gary hart. George mcgoverns 1972 Campaign Manager. Here is what he had to say about the reform efforts. I think his life will show he helped save the Democratic Party in 1968 and 72 not simply by chairing the Reform Commission, but by his insistence on the Democratic Party truly becoming a Democratic Party. Because of his efforts and the efforts of many of you, the convention of 1972 has an interesting, shall we say, as it was, helped save the Democratic Party and helped open the doors for young people, for women, minorities, for people who had up to that time been shut out. It is fashionable, i know, for people to say there is not much different betwe difference between the two parties, but there really is. There is a necessity for a Democratic Party and the kind of Democratic Party that he ensituationed and help create. What is your reaction to seeing gary hart talk about the reforms . He is certainly correct that his role was a critical role. I go back to well above 1968, and i can remember in 1960 john kennedy was running. He and his aide and speech writer ted sorenson recently passed away. They would get on an airplane and they would fly around and visit governors and mayors who were so empowered that you could pick up the nomination that way. Retail, what retail, not with the people, but with the officials and the politicians. So, for you, covering these conventions, what was it like to see the new fashices in 1972 ano forward. It was very exciting. You know, 20 or 30 conventions over their lifetime, and they had the hands on the levers and they knew what would happen. There was an element of uncertainty that was injected by all of these new people. And not only in voting for the nominee, but in the Platform Committee hearings, Credentials Committee hearings, and so on that proceeded the selection of a president ial nominee. Let me ask you about the shortterm impact of these reforms. Lets go to the general election. Just real briefly, if we could, in 72. The reforms that he puts in place, do they actually benefit him when it comes to voter turnout to beat Richard Nixon . It helped him to get the nomination. He understood again because he chaired the Reform Commission and he had several staffers working on his campaign he understood the new process. I dont think he tried to manipulate it, i think he was always trying to be open and fair. He understood it, he realized that something changed, and he was able to take advantage of it in terms of winning the nomination, where some of the others were playing by the old rules and they were caught offguard if didnt help because the constituencies were still not matured. He only got 37. 5 of the vote in the popular election. But i think if you look now at todays Democratic Party, you asked about the lasting impacts, if you look at the coalition of the minorities, the young, highly educatedtivi activist ac just as Berry Goldwater said, i think you can give mcgovern a lot of credit for the Barack Obama Presidency of 2008. It just took longer for that constituency to meld it wasnt ready in 1972. The democratic congressman and senator from dakota. Let me get our viewers involved. First from mic ke in new york. Youre on the air. Good even, hello. He became part of the middle east council after not running in 1972. And he submitted a proposal calling the United States to protect access to oil in response to israels failure to end conflict. Did president clinton accept proposal. Doesnt know how to answer that quite right. He was certainly very under in the middle east affairs. The palestinian authority. He was always interested in trying to help broker a peace agreement. President clinton made an effort to try to finally make that peace, but senator mcgovern got a lot of grief for using frass like treatment in the middle ea east, he was a strong supporter of israel, and he was outspoken as well. Were going to be talking more about his post 72 convention life. His legacy, and his efforts across the world, specifically on hunger. First lets hear from gordon in peoria, illinois. I was a College Student that voted for mcgovern as a 20yearold. Later on hearing the things on the next son groups and their dirty tricks, i heard a program that they claimed they chose him as a weakest link, and they use. And he says mcgovern felt like the republicans chose him. It was certainly true that in the 1972 campaign he was involved in a number of dirty tricks that were aimed at musky. I dont think it was terms of setting it up for mcgovern. At the beginning of the year it was such a long shot that it would have been really a requiring clairvoyance to have a set of policies to make