The Nation: Five for George: the McGovern Offspring

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> Mary, 17, is a senior in high school and an occasional poet. She recently went through her own moral struggle over religion and left the Methodist Church to become a Roman Catholic. Her specialty is the pep talk. "I gave a little talk in Prince Georges County, Md., to the volunteers. I told them they were the backbone of the campaign, and that my father would win in November because of their hard work. I did it in 30 seconds."

The children all express great affection for their father as a man, and an unshakable confidence in his invincibility as a politician—they have no doubt that he will win in November. But they enjoy his human fallibilities as well. George, they say, has a "corny sense of humor" that causes them to groan more than laugh. They also imply his taste in movies runs to schmaltz: he has seen Doctor Zhivago six times, they claim. Ann in particular worries that in spite of his morning exercises ("jumping jacks") and his nightly bowl of Wheaties, Father George "has a tendency to be too thin."

Such may become the marginalia of history if George is elected. But at the moment the children are too busy to look very far ahead. As Susan Rowen says: "We're very involved in the campaign. Living in the White House, or visiting it, is just too unreal."