Thomas Francis "Tom" Eagleton (September 4, 1929 - March 4, 2007) was a United States Senator from Missouri, serving from 1968 to 1987. He was best known as the Democratic vice presidential nominee under George McGovern on 1972. He suffered depression throughout his life, resulting in several hospitalizations, which were kept secret from the public. When they were revealed, it shamed McGovern's campaign and Eagleton was forced to withdraw from the race. He later became professor of public affairs at Washington University in St. Louis. Louis.
Video Thomas Eagleton
Early life and political career
Eagleton was born in St. John's. Louis, Missouri, the son of Zitta Louise (Swanson) and Mark David Eagleton, a politician running for mayor. His paternal grandmother was an Irish immigrant, and his mother had Swedish, Irish, French and Austrian descent.
He graduated from State St. School Louis, served in the US Navy for two years, and graduated from Amherst College in 1950, where he became a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon (Sigma Chapter) fraternity. He then studied at Harvard Law School. After graduating in 1953, Eagleton practiced law at his father's company and later attributed to the legal department of Anheuser-Busch.
Eagleton marries Barbara Ann Smith from St. Louis on January 26, 1956. A son, Terence, born in 1959, and a daughter, Christin, was born in 1963.
He was elected as St. Lawyer City Louis in 1956. During his tenure, he appeared on the TV show What's My Line? (episode # 355) as "St. Louis County Attorney". (He silenced the panel.) He was elected Missouri Attorney General in 1960, at the age of 31 (the youngest in state history). He was elected Lieutenant Governor of the 38th Missouri in 1964, and won the US Senate seat in 1968, replacing the coveted Edward V. Long in Democrats and defeating Congressman Thomas B. Curtis in the general election.
He is also known to suffer from depression. Between 1960 and 1966, Eagleton went to the hospital three times for physical and nervous exhaustion, receiving electroconvulsive therapy twice. He then received a bipolar II diagnosis from Dr. Frederick K. Goodwin.
Hospitalization, which was not widely publicized, had little effect on his political aspirations, though St. Louis Post-Dispatch was to record, in 1972, shortly after the vice-presidential nomination: "He has been plagued with stomach upsets, which lead to hospital occasionally." The stomach problem has contributed to rumors that he has a drinking problem. " Maps Thomas Eagleton
1972 presidential campaign
"Amnesty, abortion, and acid"
On April 25, 1972, George McGovern won a Massachusetts primary, and conservative journalist Robert Novak called Democratic politicians across the country. On April 27, 1972, Novak reported in his conversation column with an unnamed Democratic senator about McGovern.
Novak quoted a senator as saying "People do not know McGovern is for amnesty, abortion, and pot legalization." As Central American - Catholic Central America, in particular - found this, he is dead. Because the McGovern column is known as a candidate "amnesty, abortion, and acid."
On July 15, 2007, a few months after Eagleton's death, Novak told the Meet the Press that the unnamed senator was Eagleton. Novak was accused in 1972 of making a quote, but declared that to refute criticism, he invited Eagleton to lunch after the campaign and asked if he could identify himself as a source; the senator refused. "Oh, he has to run for re-election," Novak said, "McGovernites would kill him if they knew he said that." Political analyst Bob Shrum said that Eagleton would never be chosen as a McGovern candidate if it was known at the time that Eagleton was the source of the quote. "Well, I hope he will let you publish his name, then he will never be elected vice president," Shrum said. "For two things, two things that happened to George McGovern - two things that happened to him - are the labels you gave him, number one, and number two, the Eagleton disaster.We have a messy convention, but he can, I think on finally, carrying eight or 10 countries, remains politically viable, and Eagleton is one of the greatest train accidents of all time. "
Election as a vice presidential candidate
In 1972, Richard Nixon appeared invincible. When McGovern won the Democratic nomination for the President, almost all Democrats, including Ted Kennedy, Walter Mondale, Hubert Humphrey, Edmund Muskie, and Birch Bayh, refused an offer to walk on the tickets. McGovern believes Kennedy will join the ticket. Kennedy finally refused. McGovern's campaign manager, Gary Hart, suggested Boston Mayor Kevin White. McGovern was called White, and accepted "yes firmly", but Massachusetts delegate leader Ken Galbraith said the Massachusetts delegation would come out if the announcement was made to the Convention that McGovern had chosen White as his vice-presidential nominee while White supported Muskie while in Massachusetts. Massachusetts eventually became the only state (along with the District of Columbia) that McGovern would take at Electoral College on election day.
McGovern then asked Senator Gaylord Nelson to be his partner. Nelson refused but suggested Tom Eagleton, who was eventually selected by McGovern, with only minimal background checks. Eagleton did not mention his care at the hospital before, and in fact decided with his wife to keep it secret from McGovern when he flew to his first meeting with a presidential candidate.
Replacement on ticket
McGovern said he would support Eagleton "1000 percent". Furthermore, McGovern consults in secret with prominent psychiatrists, including his own Eagleton doctor, who advises him that the recurrence of the Eagleton depression is possible and could jeopardize the country if Eagleton becomes president. On August 1, Eagleton resigned at McGovern's request and, after a new search by McGovern, was replaced by Kennedy's father-in-law Sargent Shriver.
The Time Magazine poll taken at the time found that 77 percent of respondents said "Eagleton medical records will not affect their voices." Nevertheless, the press often refers to its 'shock therapy', and McGovern is worried that this will detract from its campaign platform.
McGovern's failure to thoroughly blackmail the Eagleton and the subsequent handling of the controversy provided an opportunity for the Republican campaign to ask serious questions about his judgment. In general elections, Democratic ticket only won Massachusetts and District of Columbia.
Selection back to Senate
Missouri returned Eagleton to the Senate in 1974; he won 60% of popular votes against Thomas B. Curtis, who became his opponent in 1968. In 1980, he was re-elected with a close-than-expected estimate of the Executive St. Louis County Gene McNary.
During the 1980 elections, Eagleton's nephew, Elizabeth Eagleton Weigand and lawyer Stephen Poludniak were arrested for blackmail after they threatened to spread false allegations that Eagleton was bisexual. Eagleton told reporters that the money being squeezed should be handed over to the Church of Scientology. Poludniak and Weigand appealed to the US Supreme Court, arguing that they could not get a fair trial because of "massive publicity surrounding the case, coupled with pre-existing sentiments and supporting Senator Eagleton." The court rejected the appeal.
Eagleton did not look for the fourth term in 1986. He was replaced by former Republican Governor Kit Bond, who served four terms. This chair is now held by Republican Roy Blunt.
Career Senate
In the Senate, Eagleton is active in matters relating to foreign relations, intelligence, defense, education, health care, and the environment. He was instrumental in the Senate section of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and sponsored amendments that stopped the bombing in Cambodia and effectively ended US involvement in the Vietnam War.
Eagleton was co-author of The Hatch-Eagleton Amendment, introduced in the Senate on January 26, 1983 with Senator Orrin Hatch (R), which stated that "The right to abortion is not guaranteed by this Constitution".
Post-Senate Career
In 1987, Eagleton returned to Missouri as a lawyer, political commentator, and professor at the University of Washington at St. Louis. Louis, where until his death he was professor of public affairs. Throughout his career at Washington University, Eagleton taught economics courses with former chairman of the Advisory Council of Economics Murray Weidenbaum and with history professor Henry Berger on the Vietnam War. Eagleton chose a research assistant from among his students.
On July 23, 1996, Eagleton delivered a warm introductory speech to George McGovern during a promotional tour for McGovern's book, Terry: My daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism , at The Library, Ltd., at St. Louis, Missouri. At the time, McGovern spoke well of Eagleton and recalled the short-lived Presidency ticket in 1972.
During the 2000s, Eagleton served on the Council of Elders for the George and Eleanor McGovern Center for Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University.
In January 2001, he joined other Missouri Democrats against the nomination of former governor and senator John Ashcroft for the US Attorney General. Eagleton is quoted in the Justice Committee's official note: "John Danforth will be my first choice." John Ashcroft will be my last resort. "
In 2005 and 2006, he taught seminars on the US presidency and the Constitution with Joel Goldstein at the Law School of Saint Louis University. He is also a partner at St. Law Firm. Louis Thompson Coburn and is the prime negotiator for a local business interests coalition that lured the Los Angeles Rams football team to St. Louis. Louis. Eagleton wrote three books on politics. Eagleton also strongly supported Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill in 2006; McCaskill wins, beats the incumbent Jim Talent.
Eagleton leads a Catholic, Catholic group for Amendment 2, which consists of prominent Catholics who challenge church leaders' opposition to embryonic stem cell research and to proposed state constitutional amendments that will protect such research in Missouri. The group sent a letter e-mail to fellow Catholics explaining the reasons for supporting Amendment 2. The amendment ensured that any federal approved stem cell research and treatment would be available in Missouri. "[T] he letter from Catholic to Amendment 2 said the group felt a moral obligation to respond to so-called misinformation, scare tactics and distortions propagated by opponents of the initiative, including the church."
Death
Eagleton died at St. Louis on March 4, 2007, due to heart and respiratory complications. Eagleton donated his body for medical science at the University of Washington. He wrote a farewell to his family and friends months before he died, arguing that his dying wish was for people to "go in love and peace - be nice to the dogs - and vote for the Democrats".
Awards and awards
8th Circuit court federal in St. Louis was named Eagleton. Dedicated on September 11, 2000, the building was named the Thomas F. Eagleton Building.
Eagleton has been honored with stars at St. Louis Walk of Fame.
References
Further reading
- Bormann, Ernest G. "Eagleton's business: Analysis of a fantasy theme." Quarterly Journal of Speech 59.2 (1973): 143-159.
- Dickerson, John "One of the Great Train Ruins of All Time" Slate podcast magazine online 6/10/15
- Giglio, James N. Call Me Tom: The Life of Thomas F. Eagleton (University of Missouri Press; 2011) 328 pages
- Giglio, James N. "The Eagleton Affair: Thomas Eagleton, George McGovern, and Nominated Vice President 1972", Presidential Studies Quarterly , (2009) 39 # 4 pp 647-676
- Glasser, Joshua M. Mate Running Eighteen-Day: McGovern, Eagleton, and Campaign in Crisis (Yale University Press, 2012). comprehensive scientific history
- Hendrickson, Paul. "George McGovern & Coldest Plunge", The Washington Post , September 28, 1983
- Strout, Lawrence N. "Politics and mental illness: Thomas Eagleton and Lawton Chiles Campaign." American Culture Journal 18.3 (1995): 67-73.
- Trent, Judith S., and Jimmie D. Trent. "The challenger's rhetoric: George Stanley McGovern." Communication Science 25 # 1 (1974): 11-18.
- White, Theodore. The Making of the President, 1972 (1973)
- "McGovern's First Crisis: The Eagleton Affair" Time August 7, 1972, cover story
- "George McGovern Finally Finds the Veep" Time August 14, 1972, cover story
External links
- United States Congress. "Thomas Eagleton (id: E000004)". Directory of Biographies of the United States Congress .
- "photos of Thomas Eagleton". University of Missouri-St. Louis.
- Time magazine - July 24, 1972 cover article
- Time magazine - August 7, 1972 includes articles on withdrawals
- Appearance in C-SPAN
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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