Vanity - Does any one remember George Romney's 1968 campaign for the White House ?

[Perdogg]

Is there anyone on FR old enough who remembers George Romney's 1968 Presidental campaign?

The only thing I remember my father saying about it was the famous comment about being brainwashed. My Father was a Goldwater supporter in 1964, but I don't remember who he supported in the primaries from a far since he was a conservative Democrat in NC in 1968. He voted for Nixon twice. My dad was a Reagan supporter in 1976.

I think my father had a positive opinion of him until he made that comment. I was just wondering what people generally felt of his campaign in 1968, was he a Goldwater conservative or a Rockerfellar Republican?

[Verginius Rufus]

George Romney was Secretary of HUD for Nixon (first term), not for Reagan.

All I remember of the 1956 election is seeing "I like Ike" bumper stickers and my Dad telling me that they were voting for Ike. I didn't know who the Democratic candidate was and probably wasn't aware that there was such a thing as the Democratic Party.

I think my life would be happier if I didn't know who the Democratic candidate was this year and still was unaware of the existence of the Democratic Party.

[mosesdapoet]

I remember and as a matter of fact I participated in a Chicago mayoral campaign which at the time was a partisan office. John L Waner was Nixon’s HUD sec and George Romney then Michigan governor sent a delegation to advise. I believe George and John knew each other. In any event I met them and I’m not certain but a member of that delegation might have been a young Mitt But I was asked if Romney’s religion would make a difference and said I didn’t think so I also told that person who asked about how that campaign was proceeding I replied using a jewish accent” Hoy ve do Ve need a docktor !”

[Prospero]

Sure, I remember the original Governor Romney. My only encounter with him was at the 1968 Republican Convention at Miami Beach. Of course, I was only 11 years old, but my Dad was a corporate veep with a major national airline at the time, in charge of federal affairs, back before "deregulation." So, as a result, he drug me with him to Miami Beach that summer to tag along.

It was quite remarkable.

My first knowledge of George Romney was a life-size cardboard photograph of him in the lobby of a Five Star hotel on Miami Beach, and then watched him work a crowd later, in another state's caucus hotel where the crowd was watching the nominee pick Gov. Agnew as his choice for VP. I must have been the only one in that room who had even heard of him, only because we then lived in the Dee Cee suburbs and I remembered "Ted Agnew's" corny ads when he ran for Governor of Maryland not long before.

I've always been struck by the remarkable similarity in bearing and voice, and appearance, between "Mitt" and his father. George was a rugged and handsome fellow, very good humored, and the delegates he worked in that room were very well-disposed to him.

I remember Dad explaining the whole "brain-washing" red herring. He liked Romney, but Dad was an old-line Norman Thomas Socialist and activist Democrat, and it's way too late to quiz him on the accuracy of my memories.

So, you don't have to be very old to remember George Romney, I guess, unless 55 is as "old" as all these children around here think it is...

Take care...

[Perdogg]

In 1968 I was 2. I remember in 1972 when I was in 1st grade I voted for McGovern for President in a mock election; the first and last time I supported a Dem. For the next 16 years I was in Reagan/Ford household.

[gbscott1954]

George Romney looked strong early for the GOP nomination but went to Vietnam and returned and told everyone that he had been “brainwashed” by the military and ambassador to support the administration. It made him look weak and instantly caused him to lose support in the GOP to Nixon. At least this is how I remember it.

[Perdogg]

What were you fond memories of the 1968 campaign?

[muawiyah]

i was in the Army pulling a lot of time on border patrol ~ or guarding atomic sites as they relocated the Davey Crocket Rockets out of Germany.

Difficult to keep up with the US campaign ~ but when Nixon got the nomination that made me happy.

The Romney guy had walked away from the Republican party in 1964, something that probably made LBJ confident he could lead us into a war where he wouldn't let us win.

Gee whiz, i just heaped a world of blame on Mitt's dad didn't I. Hmmm. Imagine what i think of Democrats.

[goat granny]

I’m darn near old enough to remember when old “They brain washed me” George ran....

[TexasTransplant]

I always thought Humphrey was a good Man, to compare him to what the Dems are serving up now... he was a saint and if I had a vote back then I would probably would agree... (if you are comparing)

Then again, my first Vote ever was for Carter and see what happened after that... I still do not know or cannot / refuse to remember why I voted for Carter... pretty sure there are a bunch of folks thinking the same thing about obama ... tomorrow

I have taken tomorrow off from work, I’m gonna be at the head of the line tomorrow morning (well this morning)... I cannot wait... I can’t eat or sleep and then I’m going to go pick up all my idiot friends that “never vote” and take them to their “Polling Places” all of which I have already scouted out for them so that they can Vote as well... they may not follow Politics but they do despise obama.

TT