Former senator and 1972 Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern has apparently been moved into hospice care and is nearing the end of the life. He’s 90 years old.
So, while he’s still with us, let us marvel that every Democratic presidential nominee since 1972 is currently alive: McGovern (1972), Jimmy Carter (1976 & 1980), Walter Mondale (1984), Michael Dukakis (1988), Bill Clinton (1992 & 1996), Al Gore (2000), John Kerry (2004), and Barack Obama (2008 & 2012).
In fact, every losing presidential candidate since 1972, not including incumbent presidents, is still alive: McGovern (1972), Mondale (1984), Dukakis (1988), Bob Dole (1996), Al Gore (2000*), John Kerry (2004), John McCain (2008). This doesn’t include Gerald Ford (1976), Jimmy Carter (1980), or George H.W. Bush (1992), since they were all incumbents when they lost. So everyone since 1972 who is most famous for not reaching the White House is still alive.
So really, every major party nominee since 1972 is still alive except for Nixon, Ford, and Reagan.
I just think that’s cool.
And then 4 days after you posted this, McGovern dies. It’s funny, but when I read the news, I immediately thought of this post which I read only yesterday. So I guess now it’s every major party nominee since *1976*, which is still cool …I mean, 36 years! Here in Canada, it would be since 1984.