U.S. presidential election, 1972

(Larger version)

George McGovern ran on a platform of ending the Vietnam War and instituting guaranteed minimum incomes for the nation's poor. Between difficulties with his running-mate, Thomas Eagleton (who he eventually dropped and replaced with Sargent Shriver), and the Republicans' successful campaign to paint him as unacceptably radical, he suffered a landslide defeat of 61%-38% to sitting President Richard Nixon. The Watergate burglary to steal Democratic Party information during the election laid the seeds for Nixon's later downfall.

Conservative congressman John G. Schmitz of the American Party was on the ballot in 32 states and received 1,099,482 popular votes.

John Hospers of the newly formed Libertarian Party was on the ballot only in Colorado and Washington and received only 3,673 popular votes. However, he was given one electoral vote by Republican delegate Roger MacBride. This election had the lowest voter turnout for a presidential election since 1948, with only 55 percent of the electorate voting.

Spiro T. Agnew resigned as Vice-President October 10, 1973; he pleaded no contest to a charge that he had failed to report income from payoffs by Maryland businessmen and was fined $10,000. He was the second Vice-President of the United States to resign (after John C. Calhoun in 1832); He was succeeded by Gerald R. Ford, the first Vice President to be appointed without a national election.

Richard M. Nixon resigned as President August 9, 1974, under threat of impeachment, also over fallout from the Watergate burglary. He was succeeded by Gerald R. Ford, who appointed Nelson A. Rockefeller his Vice-President.

Timeline

• May 15 - Governor and Presidential candidate George C. Wallace of Alabama is shot by Arthur H. Bremer at a Laurel, Md., political rally.
• June 17 - Watergate break-in, Washington, D.C.
• July 10-July 13 - United States Democratic Party convention and nomination of George McGovern
• August 21-August 23 - United States Republican Party convention and nomination of Richard M. Nixon
• November 7 - Richard M. Nixon defeated George McGovern

See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1972, History of the United States (1964-1980)

Referenced By