Thomas Eagleton

Thomas Eagleton
State of Missouri · Public domain · source
Name	Thomas Eagleton
State	Missouri
Term	December 28, 1968 – January 5, 1987
Preceded	Edward V. Long
Succeeded	Christopher Bond

Thomas Eagleton was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Missouri from 1968 to 1987. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was known for his liberal views, often supporting the policies of Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern. Eagleton's career was marked by his brief nomination for Vice President of the United States in 1972, alongside George McGovern, and his subsequent withdrawal from the ticket due to concerns over his mental health, which was discussed by Walter Cronkite and other journalists at the time, including those at The New York Times and The Washington Post. His political views were also influenced by his relationships with other prominent politicians, including Ted Kennedy and Walter Mondale.

● Early life and education

Thomas Eagleton was born on September 4, 1929, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Mark Eagleton and Zitta Swanson Eagleton, and grew up in a family of modest means, attending St. Louis University High School and later graduating from Amherst College in 1950, where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, alongside other notable alumni, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush. He then went on to earn his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1953, where he was a classmate of Bobby Kennedy and Byron White. After completing his education, Eagleton served in the United States Navy from 1953 to 1955, during the Korean War, and was stationed at the Naval Station Great Lakes and the USS Mount McKinley.

● Career

Eagleton began his career in politics in the 1950s, working as a prosecutor in St. Louis County, Missouri, and later serving as the Attorney General of Missouri from 1961 to 1965, where he worked alongside other prominent politicians, including Stuart Symington and Richard Nixon. He was a strong supporter of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and worked closely with Lyndon B. Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr. to pass these landmark pieces of legislation. In 1964, Eagleton was elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, serving under Warren E. Hearnes, and later became a close friend and advisor to Hubert Humphrey during his presidential campaign in 1968, which included notable events such as the Democratic National Convention and the Election Day.

● Vice presidential nomination

In 1972, Eagleton was chosen by George McGovern as his running mate in the United States presidential election, 1972, and was nominated at the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, where he gave a speech alongside other notable politicians, including Ted Kennedy and Walter Mondale. However, his nomination was short-lived, as it was soon revealed that he had undergone electroconvulsive therapy for depression and had been hospitalized for nervous exhaustion, which was reported on by journalists such as Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. This led to concerns about his mental health and his ability to serve as Vice President, and he eventually withdrew from the ticket, being replaced by Sargent Shriver, who was a member of the Kennedy family and had previously served as the United States Ambassador to France.

● Senate career

Eagleton served in the United States Senate from 1968 to 1987, representing the state of Missouri and becoming known for his liberal views and his support for social and economic justice, often working alongside other notable senators, including Ted Kennedy and Howard Metzenbaum. He was a strong advocate for the Great Society programs of Lyndon B. Johnson, including Medicare and Medicaid, and worked to pass legislation such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, which were signed into law by Richard Nixon. Eagleton also served on several committees, including the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on the Budget, where he worked alongside other notable politicians, including Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye.

● Personal life and later career

Eagleton married Barbara Ann Smith in 1956, and the couple had two children, Terence Eagleton and Christine Eagleton, and were members of the Catholic Church, attending services at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. After leaving the Senate in 1987, Eagleton returned to Missouri and taught at Washington University in St. Louis, where he was a colleague of other notable academics, including William H. Rehnquist and Stephen Breyer. He also practiced law and remained involved in politics, serving as a consultant and advisor to various politicians, including Bill Clinton and Al Gore, and was a member of the Democratic National Committee.

● Legacy

Thomas Eagleton's legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting both his achievements and his challenges, and is often compared to that of other notable politicians, including Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern. He is remembered for his commitment to social and economic justice, as well as his support for the Civil Rights Movement and the Great Society programs, which were also supported by other notable politicians, including Ted Kennedy and Walter Mondale. However, his brief and tumultuous vice presidential nomination in 1972 also raised important questions about mental health and the scrutiny of public figures, which were discussed by journalists such as Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, and were also relevant to the careers of other notable politicians, including Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Despite these challenges, Eagleton remained a respected and influential figure in Missouri politics, and his legacy continues to be felt today, with many notable politicians, including Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, following in his footsteps. Category:United States Senators from Missouri