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Up 'Til Now: A Memoir
From the former Senator & presidential candidate, called by some the conscience of the nation for his early anti-Vietnam War stance, a discussion of 35 years of American politics. McCarthy's account is tempered with the insights of a historian, philosopher & citizen who is concerned for the future of the nation & its democratic political processes. As he recounts his own introduction to politics & his campaigns & terms in office, the reader has a genuine sense of being there, too. His devotion to liberal traditions never faltered, & he made his disdain for the "club" aspects of the Senate & the superficiality of political campaigning abundantly evident. His ideas on the personalization of the presidency & the lack of national goals are powerful & poignant. A masterful work, highly recommended.-- Frank Kessler, Political Science Department, Missouri Western State College, St Joseph
Foreword
Political Initiation & the Rayburn Years
Senatorial Politics 1957-67
A View of Two Decades (1948-68) thru Presidential Politics
Entropic Politics
Index
Foreword
Political Initiation & the Rayburn Years
Senatorial Politics 1957-67
A View of Two Decades (1948-68) thru Presidential Politics
Entropic Politics
Index
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
286 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1987
13 people want to read
About the author
Eugene J. McCarthy
51 books1 follower Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet & a long-time member of the Congress from Minnesota. He served in the House from 1949 to 1959 & the Senate from 1959 to 1971.
In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first candidate to challenge incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson for the Democratic nomination for president, running on an anti-Vietnam War platform. The unexpected vote total he achieved in the New Hampshire primary led Johnson to withdraw from the race & lured Robert F. Kennedy into the contest. He would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether.
In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first candidate to challenge incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson for the Democratic nomination for president, running on an anti-Vietnam War platform. The unexpected vote total he achieved in the New Hampshire primary led Johnson to withdraw from the race & lured Robert F. Kennedy into the contest. He would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 30, 2018
If you read Eugene McCarthy's memoir Up 'Til Now a rather informal type book where our philosopher senator who gained immortality by challenging an incumbent president for renomination
in his own party in 1968. With that act McCarthy made history. It had not been successfully done since
1856 when James Buchanan denied Franklin Pierce a renomination by the Democrats for a second
term.
Certainly Lyndon Johnson was far more powerful than Franklin Pierce and he knew better than most
how to exercise said power. But growing disillusion in his own party with the American involvement
in Vietnam led to a role in history for someone. When Robert F. Kennedy declined at first, Eugene
McCarthy filled the void.
McCarthy nearly won New Hampshire and then beat LBJ in Wisconsin forcing Johnson out of the
race for re-election. But by that time McCarthy had been elbowed aside by Bobby Kennedy and
the rest of 1968 played out as sad and tragic history.
McCarthy was one of many involved in the joining of the Democratic and Farmer Labor parties in
Minnesota, an effort led by the man who was elected Mayor Of Minneapolis and soon McCarthy's
colleague in the Senate Hubert Humphrey. McCarthy went to the House of Representatives in
1946 and to the Senate in 1958.
McCarthy was always something of an odd duck in the Senate, too iconoclastic for most of his
colleagues. Not a collegial guy by any means, but honest and more important to himself intellectually honest. in his public life. The only time he got national attention was in nominating
Adlai Stevenson in 1960 for a third time at the convention in a draft Stevenson movement.
The memoir is filled with incidents and anecdotes of his Senate colleagues and his service representing Minnesota. His early days and his breaking into politics you will find interesting.
In fact Eugene McCarthy was interesting all around.
in his own party in 1968. With that act McCarthy made history. It had not been successfully done since
1856 when James Buchanan denied Franklin Pierce a renomination by the Democrats for a second
term.
Certainly Lyndon Johnson was far more powerful than Franklin Pierce and he knew better than most
how to exercise said power. But growing disillusion in his own party with the American involvement
in Vietnam led to a role in history for someone. When Robert F. Kennedy declined at first, Eugene
McCarthy filled the void.
McCarthy nearly won New Hampshire and then beat LBJ in Wisconsin forcing Johnson out of the
race for re-election. But by that time McCarthy had been elbowed aside by Bobby Kennedy and
the rest of 1968 played out as sad and tragic history.
McCarthy was one of many involved in the joining of the Democratic and Farmer Labor parties in
Minnesota, an effort led by the man who was elected Mayor Of Minneapolis and soon McCarthy's
colleague in the Senate Hubert Humphrey. McCarthy went to the House of Representatives in
1946 and to the Senate in 1958.
McCarthy was always something of an odd duck in the Senate, too iconoclastic for most of his
colleagues. Not a collegial guy by any means, but honest and more important to himself intellectually honest. in his public life. The only time he got national attention was in nominating
Adlai Stevenson in 1960 for a third time at the convention in a draft Stevenson movement.
The memoir is filled with incidents and anecdotes of his Senate colleagues and his service representing Minnesota. His early days and his breaking into politics you will find interesting.
In fact Eugene McCarthy was interesting all around.
August 25, 2022
Interesting views of LBJ and RFK related to 1968. Commentary on presidents of his time. Fair to Republicans and Democrats on his view. End of the book was a litany of his political thought.
December 6, 2012
This is an autobiography of Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy (3/29/1916–12/10/2005) written almost two decades before his death and emphasizing primarily the political, as opposed to the personal or literary, side of his life. I read it because I had been very involved in his 1968 campaign for the presidency, somewhat involved in his 1972 effort, had met him glancingly on several occasions and had read several of his books as well as many books and articles about him.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews