Sunday, October 21, 2012

Chairman John Burton on the Passing of Senator George McGovern


We are deeply saddened by the passing of American luminary and former Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern. George was a personal friend who inspired action and reform. In 1972, I co-chaired his California delegation to the DNC with Dolores Huerta and Willie Brown.

George was a bona fide war hero and decorated bomber pilot during World War II. He was an early and vocal opponent of the war in Vietnam and fought, as early as the 1960s, for the U.S. to transition from a wartime economy to a peacetime economy.

Finally, George is the one person most responsible for reforms to the delegate selection process to the Democratic National Convention. Before 1968, delegates were picked two to three years in advance of the convention. Now, all rank and file Democrats have a voice in electing theirdelegation to the DNC.

George was a warrior for peace, an unmatched intellect and a great American. Our thoughts and our hearts go out to his three daughters: Ann, Susan and Mary and their children.

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