This little remembrance was contributed by Col. D.A. Wininger, USAF, Ret.

Sam,

There is one story I forgot to ask you about--so I will tell you how I remember it--if it's not true--too bad--I've been telling it now for years.

Remember back in the fall of 1972, we had American History with Ted Russ as our instructor. During the Presidential campaign, we had to take one of the candidates and do a political speech on why they should be elected. You and I were in different classes, but we both ended up having to support George McGovern--We got together sometime during the week before the class to talk about our mutual assignment. I remember you saying something like, "McGovern doesn't have a very good platform, so I recommend we play up this Watergate incident. We should emphasize that the activity was illegal, and that a full disclosure should be made-- then President Nixon should not be re-elected, but should resign instead." I remember thinking, "this is kind of crazy, but what else do we really have?" So I remember arguing that point.

Of course everybody thought we were crazy--but less than two years later--as I was in Basic Cadet Training at the Academy--they brought us into a big auditorium to watch President Nixon's resignation speech. I remember laughing, and they guy next to me asked me what was so funny--I told him, "Almost two years ago, a friend of mine said that Nixon should resign because of Watergate--we used it in campaign speeches--and now it has taken place!" It was one of those 'Nobody will ever believe me moments.' Do you remember that?

Dave Wininger


Dave:

Here's what I remember about it.
1.) It was my mom's idea. She had an extreme dislike for "Tricky Dicky"
2.) We lost the general election by a landslide.

You and I may have been the only two votes for McGovern in the whole school.

Sam McCormick


Sam:

So it was your mom's idea. That is so cool! The only other thing I remember about McGovern was that Byron Orton was in college in South Dakota at the time and he was a big McGovern fan--used to talk a little bit about it around the baseball field. But like you said, there were not many of us.

Dave Wininger