Edmund Muskie won the New Hampshire Democrat Primary in 1972. Muskie lost the Democrat nomination to George McGovern and the country re-elected President Richard Nixon in one of the biggest landslide election victories in the U.S. garnering over 60% of the popular vote. Nixon carried 49 of the 50 states, losing only in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia.
However, William Loeb the newspaper Publisher of the Manchester Union Leader had printed a forged letter that attacked Muskie and Muskie’s wife, Jane. In response Muskie said. “First, to say to Mr. Loeb whose the publisher of this paper that he has lied about me. Second to say to you the people of Manchester whom he has insulted, he has lied to you about me. Thirdly, that by attacking me by attacking my wife he has proved himself to be a gutless coward.”
Here are some additional unrelated quotes made by Muskie.
“Looking at yourself through the media is like looking at one of those rippled mirrors in an amusement park.”
“Too often in the past, members of Congress have won re-election with a two-part strategy: Talk like Scrooge on the campaign trail. Vote like Santa Claus on the Senate floor.”
“You have the God-given right to kick the government around – don’t hesitate to do so.”
“Do not speak unless you can improve the silence.”
Brian,
What you fail to point out is the infamous forged Muskie letter originated from Nixon’s dirty-tricks operation, not from the Manchester newspaper.
Muskie was a decent guy who probably should have been the Democratic nominee in ’72. His crying in the snow that winter ended all that.
To my good friend Jake,
The author of the forged letter is not important, as it is the publisher’s decision to print the forged document and the publisher’s decision not do his job in confirming that it was a legitimate letter.
As for Muskie “crying in the snow” that is journalistic embellishment. He was not crying. The snow was landing on his face and it was melting.
Thanks for reading and for all those Brian’s Blog readers. Go check out Jake’s blog. It is linked under daily reads.
Don’t be so sure — I saw that water and heard that sniffling — LOL.
Seriously, though, Muskie was a decent guy.
O.k. for those readers that do not get the inside joke of Jake’s comment. He wasn’t even born in 1972.
I was 6 years old.