1972 Democratic National Convention

1972 Democratic National Convention

1972 presidential election
Nominees McGovern and Eagleton
Convention
Date(s)	July 10–13, 1972
City	Miami Beach, Florida
Venue	Miami Beach Convention Center
Candidates
Presidential nominee	George McGovern of South Dakota
Vice Presidential nominee	Thomas Eagleton of Missouri
‹ 1968  ·  1976 ›

The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, on July 10 – 13, 1972. Lawrence F. O'Brien served as permanent chairman of the convention, while Yvonne Braithwaite Burke served as vice-chair, becoming the first African American to hold that position.

It nominated Senator George McGovern of South Dakota for President and Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri for Vice President. Eagleton later withdrew from the race when it was disclosed that he had undergone mental health treatment, including electroshock therapy, in the past, and he was replaced on the ballot by Sargent Shriver of Maryland, a Kennedy in-law.

The convention, which has been described as "a disastrous start to the general election campaign", was one of the most unusual—perhaps the most contentious in the history of the Democratic Party since 1924—with sessions beginning in the early evening and lasting until sunrise the next morning. Previously excluded political activists gained influence at the expense of elected officials and traditional core Democratic constituencies such as organized labor. A protracted vice presidential nominating process delayed McGovern's acceptance speech (which he considered "the best speech of his life") until 2:48 a.m.—after most television viewers had gone to bed.Hunter S. Thompson covered this convention in detail in several articles and in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72.