Nixon won a landslide victory in 1972
I was in my twenties and I seem to recall that Nixon won for two primary reasons: 1. He promised to end the war by winning and to bring the troops home as a result of the 'win', and 2. McGovern was a very weak Dem candidate (yes, as a young, liberal person I actually campaigned for McGovern...live and learn). Anyway, those were extraordinary and high-tension times and McGovern was very, very under-capitalized because he was just too 'hokey' for the East Coast Dems. About all he had actively campaigning for him were young people. In fact, I vividly recall attending the rally in San Francisco where Willy Brown was a key player in raising money from the crowd. Seems like a million years ago (and it was).
McGovern was the Commencement Speaker at my brother's graduation from Albany Medical Center in NY.
I don't remember if he was running for Pres., or was just defeated.
But my father, a WW2 Navy vet, got up and walked out.