George McGovern Archives - Public Seminar

North America

The Specter of George McGovern’s Defeat in 1972

Similarities — and Key Differences — with the Prospects for Sanders in 2020

February 25, 2020 • by Bruce Miroff

Now that Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in 2020, the old warnings echo even louder. Veteran media commentator Chris Matthews is typical of alarmists in prophesying that Sanders as nominee would match McGovern in losing 49 states (presumably Vermont ...

The Specter of George McGovern’s Defeat in 1972

North America

Democrats are Haunted by 1972

Re-examining McGovern’s devastating loss — and the collapse of party unity that changed everything

February 13, 2020 • by Claire Potter

Worse, the pundit class, which should be challenging the electorate with ideas and analysis and instead seems to be taking a cultural studies approach to covering the candidates, is engaged in endless handwringing, triggered by the emergence of a viable left in the Democratic party. Because if this, they predicted a Biden boom that ...

North America

America’s Weimar Moment

Bernie Sanders & the Future of Democracy in America

February 6, 2020 • by James Miller

But here we are. While progressive Democrats this cycle have been dreading the instincts of centrist liberals like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg, moderates cringe at the prospect of an avowed socialist leading their party. Some fear Sanders would split Democrats, and doom him to a defeat as sweeping as that George McGovern suffered ...

Feature

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Donald Trump and the politics of football

June 27, 2018 • by Jesse Berrett

Last fall, Donald Trump called protesting NFL players “sons of bitches” and demanded that they be kicked off the field and fired “right now.” Weeks ago, he disinvited the Super-Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles from the customary visit to the White House because “they disagree with our president” about proper observance of the national ...