George McGovern

George McGovern

28 quotes

George McGovern, an American politician and historian, is widely remembered for insights that continue to resonate with readers everywhere. The range of their thinking — from War to Truth — speaks to an intellectual restlessness that shows in every quote. Discover 35 of George McGovern's most memorable quotes, ranging across War, Truth, Society, Hope, and Home. Among their most shared lines: "I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way."

“I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way.”

— George McGovern

War

All Quotes by George McGovern

“Democrats believe that the federal government is not our enemy, it's our partner.”

— George McGovern

Government

“I think it was my study of history that convinced me that the Democratic Party was more on the side of the average American.”

— George McGovern

History

“I wish I had known more firsthand about the concerns and problems of American businesspeople while I was a U.S. senator and later a presidential nominee. That knowledge would have made me a better legislator and a more worthy aspirant to the White House.”

— George McGovern

Knowledge

“My dad was a Methodist minister.”

— George McGovern

Dad

“I've come to realize that protecting freedom of choice in our everyday lives is essential to maintaining a healthy civil society.”

— George McGovern

Freedom

“I always thought of myself as a moderate liberal, a fighter for peace and justice. I never thought of myself as being all that far out.”

— George McGovern

Peace

“From secrecy and deception in high places, come home, America. From military spending so wasteful that it weakens our nation, come home, America.”

— George McGovern

Home

“I hope I live long enough to see every hungry school child in the world being fed under the so-called McGovern-Dole program.”

— George McGovern

Hope

“I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.”

— George McGovern

Men

“I think the country's getting disgusted with Washington partly because of the decline of civility in government.”

— George McGovern

Government

“I did frequently refer to my war record in World War II, but not in any flamboyant way.”

— George McGovern

War

“Well, we ought to be stirred, even to tears, by society's ills.”

— George McGovern

Society

“When I was in the war, I was lucky that I was in a plane and never saw the carnage close-up.”

— George McGovern

War

“Politics is an act of faith you have to show some kind of confidence in the intellectual and moral capacity of the public.”

— George McGovern

Faith

“It's a tough thing, to know what to do about a war that deep in your gut you feel is wrong and yet watch your peers going off to fight in that war.”

— George McGovern

War

“People didn't have the political guts to stand up against an American war.”

— George McGovern

War

“It is not patriotic to commit young Americans to war unless our national security clearly requires it.”

— George McGovern

War

“I would not plan to base my campaign primarily on opposition to the war in the Persian Gulf.”

— George McGovern

War

“The truth is that I oppose the Iraq war, just as I opposed the Vietnam War, because these two conflicts have weakened the U.S. and diminished our standing in the world and our national security.”

— George McGovern

Truth

“I thought the Vietnam war was an utter, unmitigated disaster, so it was very hard for me to say anything good about it.”

— George McGovern

War