McGovern Death Resurfaces Presidential Run With Missouri’s Eagleton

By Alex Heuer,

Mary Edwards, Don Marsh

Published October 25, 2012 at 3:24 PM CDT

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(Provided By: Joshua Glasser/book cover)

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Diane Silverman

The recent death of Senator George McGovern revived memories of his unsuccessful 1972 Presidential bid. There are several reasons he lost and one of them was the fallout of the brief vice presidential candidacy of U.S. Senator Tom Eagleton of Missouri.

Eagleton was dropped from the ticket after eighteen days because of controversy concerning his medical history.

Host Don Marsh talks with author Joshua Glasser whose new book, The Eighteen-Day Running Mate: McGovern, Eagleton, and a Campaign in Crisis, documents the controversy and its causes during that time.

Glasser is a researcher for Bloomberg Television in New York and graduated from Amherst College, Eagleton’s alma mater.

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St. Louis on the Air Tom Eagleton

Alex Heuer

Alex is the executive producer of "St. Louis on the Air" at St. Louis Public Radio.

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Mary Edwards

Mary Edwards is a producer for St. Louis Public Radio's broadcast program, "St. Louis Symphony."

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Don Marsh

Don Marsh served as host of St. Louis Public Radio’s “St. Louis on the Air" from 2005 to 2019, bringing discussions of significant topics to listeners' ears at noon Monday through Friday. Don has been an active journalist for 58 years in print, radio and television. He has won 12 Regional Emmy Awards for writing, reporting, and producing. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame in 2013, and named “Media Person of the Year” by the St. Louis Press Club in 2015. He has published three books: his most recent, “Coming of Age, Liver Spots and All: A Humorous Look at the Wonders of Getting Old,” “Flash Frames: Journey of a Journeyman Journalist” and “How to be Rude (Politely).” He holds an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

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