Thomas Eagleton Dies

Sen. Thomas Eagleton, who represented Missouri as a Democrat, died Sunday at 77. He's well-known to those of us in the mental health world as the ultimate symbol--OK, one of them--of America's assbackwards attitudes towards depression and mental illness. For those who don't know, he was Sen. George McGovern's vice-presidential running mate in 1972, but was forced off the ticket after 18 days because he had been hospitalized for depression thrice in the 1960s and twice received ECT.

"Don't fuck me, George," he told McGovern when he called Eagleton to ask him to step down.

But he did get fucked--by Democratic politicians, the press and McGovern's handlers, all of whom forced the top of the ticket's hand. As have a lot of us. Apparently the people of Missouri had different ideas. Eagleton was twice more elected to the Senate.