名人轶事:Eugene McCarthy: His Campaign for President in 1

Eugene McCarthy: His Campaign for President in 1968 Forced a President From Office

Written by Shelley Gollust

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Barbara Klein with People in America in VOA Special English. Today we tell about Eugene McCarthy. His campaign for the presidency² in nineteen sixty-eight increased popular opposition³ to the war in Vietnam. And it changed American history.

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VOICE ONE:

Eugene McCarthy was a quiet and mentally-gifted lawmaker from Minnesota. As a young man, he was interested in being a religious worker – or a baseball player.

Later, he was a college professor. He wrote poetry. He also became active in Democratic Party politics.

In the nineteen sixties, he was one of the first Democrats⁴ in the United States Congress to oppose the party leadership. He expressed opposition to the war Americans were fighting in Vietnam. And he forced a president from office.

VOICE TWO:

Eugene McCarthy was born in nineteen sixteen in the town of Watkins, Minnesota. His father’s parents came from Ireland. His father bought farm animals and was a storyteller. His mother raised four children.

Eugene completed a study program at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota. There, he completed study programs in economics and sociology.

McCarthy taught social sciences in public high schools for a few years. Then he taught economics, education and sociology at two colleges in Minnesota. He married another teacher, Abigail Quigley. They would later have four children.

VOICE ONE:

During World War Two, Eugene McCarthy worked as a technical aide for a military intelligence office of the War Department. He became active in the Democratic Party after the war.

In nineteen forty-eight, he became head of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party of Ramsey County, Minnesota. That year he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He served five terms.

In nineteen fifty-eight, McCarthy defeated a Republican Party Senator and won a seat in the United States Senate. Two years later, he became famous by speaking at the Democratic Party’s national nominating convention. He nominated Adlai Stevenson for president. But the Democrats chose John F. Kennedy as their candidate.

In nineteen sixty-four, McCarthy easily won re-election to a second term in the Senate. He served in the Senate for a total of twelve years.

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VOICE TWO:

In nineteen sixty-seven, opposition to the war the United States was fighting in Vietnam was growing. It had begun to harm President Lyndon Johnson’s popular and political support. In October, thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington, D.C. to protest the increasing conflict.

Eugene McCarthy was a leader of the anti-war movement. McCarthy announced he would show his opposition to the war and to President Johnson. He asked Democrats for their support in the party’s presidential primary elections in nineteen sixty-eight. “There is only one thing to do – take it to the country!” he declared.

VOICE ONE:

McCarthy made political campaign stops across the country. He said the American people were against the war for military, economic, diplomatic and moral reasons. And he said they wanted a change. He said: “Party unity⁵ is not a sufficient excuse for silence.”  He also said: “We do not need presidents who are bigger than the country, but rather ones who speak for it and support it.” 

Many young peace activists⁶ and college students worked on McCarthy’s presidential campaign. During the nineteen sixties, many students wore long hair and unusual clothing. But the students who worked for the McCarthy campaign changed their appearance. They cut their hair and wore nicer clothing.

The media said these students became “Clean for Gene¹.”  His campaign for president was also called a “Children’s Crusade” because of the many young people involved
 

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》