Closer 1972

[Thunderbird is the word]

Could McGovern have done better in 1972 if he'd say avoided the Eagleton fiasco and Watergate had exploded earlier?

[LLR]

He might've won 5 or 6 states.

[heatcharger]

Well if Watergate broke out earlier than you have a whole new universe that would be too hard to imagine. But I'd say if the 1972 Dem convention wasn't a disaster, and if he campaigned in the right places, Nixon would still win by a wide margin, but at least there'd be more Atlas red on the map:

President Richard Nixon (R-CA) / Crooked Spiro Agnew (R-MD) - 55.2%  - 387 EV
Senator George McGovern (D-SD) / Senator Thomas Eagleton (D-MO) - 43.7% - 151 EV