Anyway, George McGovern got his ass busted in 1972 because the Democrats were still dysfunctional as hell after the breakdown of the New Deal-party machine in 1968. Worse, McGovern made the unwise move of trusting his campaign hopes on the youth vote. Nevermind that whole Vice-President embarrasment when Eagleton turned out to be a sucker for electric shock. Yikes.
Ironically, McGovern in '72 made the same mistake that Goldwater made in '64: Both took over party machinery in dysfunction (as you said) because of the loss of the previous elecstion. They captured the party machinery with their own people, and aimed their message at the farthest-out faction of the party. The enthusiasm, energy (and money) of the small but vocal number of "true believers" carried through the primaries and to the nomination. Then, in the general election, both Goldwater and McGovern failed to move toward the center. Result: they carried in the general election only those they attracted in the primaries--and both were swamped by "centrist" candidates who characterized them as "extremists."
McCain is about to make the same mistake.
