Predicts Muskie, Hughes Team

by Mike Siegel

As long as societies have been governed
by political bodies, men have attempted to
predict the ebb and ﬂow or power and the
fate oi individuals who contend for leader»
ship. As I am a truly traditional man, I
will attempt to construct a scenario for
the political campaign ol 1972.

As my analysis will surely be denigrated
as a mythlcal tale embodying personal hie
ases which cloud reality, I would like to
avert such an unseemly controntation and
plead guilty to thls accusation. This is
proper, as the well-spring oi any political
being is an ever present inability to dis
tinguish between desire and tact. So, in
the tradition of Harold Stassen and Lard
Daily, here goes.

Although the pre-convention process has
been hypothetically relormed, primary vic-
tories will little inﬂuence who the Demo—
cratic nominee will be. i doubt that any of
the contenders will emerge Irom the come
petition as the undisputed victor. It is more
likely that Muskie and perhaps the ever
ebillieut Humphrey will perform admirably
(40-50% of the vote) in several contests.

Grinnell Politics In 1968

McGovern will continue to sputter along
in the true populist tradition of minimal
support and will likely aIIect the outcome
only by pulling the other candidates a bit
left. Lindsay, although potentially strong
in several states, will never be swallowed
_by the party regulars, It is not enough to
be initiated into the clubhone must also
prove his fealty by serving time Jackson,
Hartke, Mills, McCarthy, (and any one
else that I may have overlooked) will have
only minimal inﬂuence.

Thus, we arrive at Miami with no candidate
demonstrating clear predominance in the
primaries. It has been reported, however,
that Muskie (as ol January 15) needed only
310 more delegate votes to gain the nomi-
nation. As a result, in adding support lrom
primary contests and additional endorse-
ments, easy Ed will have little trouble.

So tar nothing very controversial, right?
At this point, my deluded and illogical bent
comes to the fore. Some oi you may have
noticed that Harold Hughes recently en—
dorsed Muskie. One must look upon the
events of the past six months to understand
the potential import of this action.

Hughes almost certainly still desires to
hold a higher national position. His basic
dilticulty, however, has been limited pub.
lic exposure, Although he has stated to his
stall that McGovern would be his number
one choice, Hughes has endorsed Muskie.

One might argue that this is simply the
result oi a pragmatic recognition or the
lutility oi the McGovern candidacy. More
convincing, however, is the possibility that
Hughes is shooting for the vicerpresidenr
tiaI nomination, The example oi a little
known Muskie developing a power base in
the last campaign would certainly seem
compelling. In addition, the potential dls~
satistaction in the mid-west agricultural
community would be well taken advantage
ot by the evangelic Hughes.

Thus, my personal prediction tor 1972 is
Hughes and Muskie vs Nixon and Spiro the
Greek. I am not so ioollsh however, as
to attempt to torcast the election itseli.
There are too many imponderables at
this early date. I only hope that the ac
curacy at my torcast is at least as good
as that ol Mathon's fish.

McCarthy Overshudowed Tradition

by Anne Walter

Thinking back an the national politics of
1965 conjures up memories of masses or
students rallying behind Eugene McCarthy,
oi the assassination at Bobby Kennedy and
at an emotional anti-war movement. The
atmosphere oi a peace crusade and the (act
that most students were too young to vote
created a political situation on Grinnell’s
campus quite dillerent Irom the one Just
beginning to emerge this year.

In the spring of 1968 the last Mock Nations
31 Conventions and Election were held at
Grinnell These ”mock” national convene
tions and elections were a means by which
students could express political preterences
by nominating and electing a presidential
candidate in the spring prior to the real has
tional elections, '

Planning for these conventions had begun
the spring belore and was largely sustained
by the YoungrRepubliczlns and Young Demo-
crats on campus, bit in 1967—68 the interest
in these two campus organizations was ale
ready dying as students here and throughout
the country were becoming disillusioned
with the traditional political process Stu-
dents ln 1968 seemed to be more serious in
their political concerns than belore, and
thus appeared to be not particularly interr

ested in the ”muck” or unreal campus polis
tical activities.

Throughout the [all and spring, 1967768,
many speakers on campus addressed them-
selves to some aspect oi the upcoming elec-
tions, but two major events really stimur
lated interest on Campus. McCarthy's ans
nouncement at his candidacy and Johnson's
dual announcement at March 31 oi the
bombing halt and his Withdrawal lrom the
presidential rzlce

In December a number of faculty went to
Chicago Ior a McCarthy rally. Grinnell
faculty along with laculty from University
of Iowa, Iowa state, and several oi thesmall
Iowa colleges were instrumental in setting
up the McCarthy movement in the State,

Grinnell iaculty and many of those students
who were 2i and living in town were very
active in the precinct caucuses and county
and state conventions, which were marked
by bitter conllict between college, town and
rural people

students who were unable to vote canvassed
in town and quite extensively in other parts
ol Iowa Ior both McCarthy and Kennedy.
Easily 125-150 students parti ipated in
canvassing and working in the Nebraska and
wisconsin primaries. There were even a
lew who went as tar as Indiana to work in
the primary and a signiticant number at
students who did political work over the
summer.

Political activity is still in the embryonic
stage on campus this year, as it still is in
the country at large, Several election-year ,
oriented speakers have appeared on campus
but not nearly as many as in [967763 Stu-
dents, as newly enlranchised citizens, have
demonstrated interest in the presidential
race, however, by participation in the Demo
cratic Party caucuses held last Monday
night.

Much opportunity tor political activity on
the part ot students seems to exist this year,
but it is still too early to predict the eltect
that opportunity will have on the students
themselves

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