Why did McGovern lose so badly?

[Nym90]

Well, Watergate certainly helped to inflate his percentage of the vote that year a bit.

[Nym90]

And I suppose Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act as a cover for his racism....

[Nym90]

It's true that the Civil Rights Act had more Democratic opposition than it did Republican opposition, but that's because the South was still almost entirely Democratic. Northern Democrats voted almost unanimously for it.

Regardless of whether Gore or Johnson may have been closet racists (nothing but anecdotal evidence to support that...I'd like to see quotes from prominent people), the facts are that they both did a great deal to advance the cause of civil rights, and led the fight for them throughout their careers.

In 1956, Al Gore Sr. was one of only two Southern senators who refused to sign the racist Southern Manifesto.

Also, Gore...

Voted against the Poll Tax of 1942
Voted for Civil Rights Act of 1957
Nominated 2 young black students from Memphis for appointment to US Air Force Academy - risky in Tennessee in 1957
Voted for 1965 Voters Rights Act
Voted for 1968 Fair Housing Act

Al Gore Sr. apologized for his 1964 vote against the Civil Rights Act and called it a big mistake. He was concerned that it went too far too fast and would be used to cut off funding of schools who appeared to be in violation.

[Nym90]

Acsenray--

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