DDC/MDS
| 329/.023/730924 |
Publication
San Francisco : Straight arrow books, 1973.
Original publication date
1973
Description
After popularizing Gonzo journalism with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson turned his drug-fueled wit and savage insight to the race for President. With On the Campaign Trail '72, Thompson deconstructs the 1972 campaigns of George McGovern and Richard Nixon, laying bare a political process that is both seductive and utterly repellent.
Status
Available
Call number
Collection
User reviews
LibraryThing member hugh_ashton
So much of HST's comments on politics in 1972 still hold good nearly 40 years later. Have things changed since then? Yes, of course they have. The Internet has enabled the spread of political memes much faster than was possible then. Public image is even more important now than then, with 24-hour
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TV, faster news cycles, and the like. But these are quantitative, not qualitative, changes. Basically, politics in the USA today seems to rest on the same foundations as when the good Doctor explored the belly of the best in 1972. I have found this to be one of the best books around to explain the American political psyche to a non-American. Show Less
LibraryThing member pbirch01
This book can be pretty tedious at times and the reader often gets bogged down in the details. But, above all of this the narrative voice of HST shines through especially when the campaign is winding down. As I read this book during the primary season of 2008, I could not help but think about how
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similar things are during the book as compared to now. The apathy of the voters, the scripted speeches, the madness of running across the country looking for votes. Actually, to be specific this book was more like the 2004 election or any election where the incumbent was able to sway public opinion based on their decisions. Stick through the election details parts and you will be rewarded with tales such as the Zoo Plane and HST reporting from the Super Bowl. Show Less
LibraryThing member HadriantheBlind
HST is a hell of a writer, not just for his drugs. Few others make journalism so venomous, and political squabbles so interesting.
It's rather fitting that this is the 40th anniversary edition, re-released in one of the most spectacular train wrecks in years. One wonders, if HST lived, what he would
HST, as cynical as he wants to be, still has a bit of idealism buried in him somewhere, that a Democrat lesser evil will prevail over the tyranny of Nixon. But his coverage of the convention and the November trouncing is an exercise in despair.
Not dated at all, except for a fee slurs. His style is his own. Makes you feel rage instead of cynicism.
It's rather fitting that this is the 40th anniversary edition, re-released in one of the most spectacular train wrecks in years. One wonders, if HST lived, what he would
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have had to say about this pack of loonies. HST, as cynical as he wants to be, still has a bit of idealism buried in him somewhere, that a Democrat lesser evil will prevail over the tyranny of Nixon. But his coverage of the convention and the November trouncing is an exercise in despair.
Not dated at all, except for a fee slurs. His style is his own. Makes you feel rage instead of cynicism.
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LibraryThing member ebenlindsey
My familiarity with Hunter Thompson's writing to this point has mainly been based off of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and various articles about sports and motorcycles. I always thought of him as a talented if maniacal writer. What engrossed me about campaign trail was his utter fluency in the
A key tension in the book seems to be between Hunters desire to be objective/his belief that in the end all politicians will disappoint and his developing belief that George McGovern would actually make a decent president. It is amazing how much access the McGovern campaign, and george himself gave Hunter for his Bi-Monthly dispatches to Rolling Stone (from which the book is cobbled), and this access seems to have bound Thompson personally to the candidate, and probobly even more personally to the campaign's political director Frank Mankiewicz.
Given to course of history the last half of the book is a downer. After the first half, which chronicles the McGovern campaigns underdog success in the primaries, and the political machinations that won him the nomination at the convention, it is painful, for both Thompson and the reader to watch McGovern fall apart right out of the gate and end up loosing to Nixon in the second worst landslide in history. (McGovern lost in every state but Massachusetts and the DIstrict of Columbia). The post-mortem for the campaign (conducted in interview form with the books editor because Thompson was unable to finish the book on time) is thorough includeing statistics from the McGovern Campaign's own pollster and a twelve page transcript of an interview with George McGovern himself.
In the end Campaign Trail is a monumental work, if somewhat depressing.
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political world of his time and his almost touching concern, pessimistic as it may be, for the health of the American political system. A key tension in the book seems to be between Hunters desire to be objective/his belief that in the end all politicians will disappoint and his developing belief that George McGovern would actually make a decent president. It is amazing how much access the McGovern campaign, and george himself gave Hunter for his Bi-Monthly dispatches to Rolling Stone (from which the book is cobbled), and this access seems to have bound Thompson personally to the candidate, and probobly even more personally to the campaign's political director Frank Mankiewicz.
Given to course of history the last half of the book is a downer. After the first half, which chronicles the McGovern campaigns underdog success in the primaries, and the political machinations that won him the nomination at the convention, it is painful, for both Thompson and the reader to watch McGovern fall apart right out of the gate and end up loosing to Nixon in the second worst landslide in history. (McGovern lost in every state but Massachusetts and the DIstrict of Columbia). The post-mortem for the campaign (conducted in interview form with the books editor because Thompson was unable to finish the book on time) is thorough includeing statistics from the McGovern Campaign's own pollster and a twelve page transcript of an interview with George McGovern himself.
In the end Campaign Trail is a monumental work, if somewhat depressing.
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LibraryThing member bfr2210999
Hunter S. Thompson cuts through the curtains obscuring the American political process. Forgoing journalistic impartiality, Thompson throws himself into the 1972 presidential campaign firmly behind George McGovern. Thanks to this Thompson presents a bizarre outsider's view from inside of the most
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lopsided election in American history. Thankfully, Thompson's legendary cynicism turned out to be misplaced. Nixon got his in the end, after all. Show Less
LibraryThing member calhorn1
Is it just me or did this book remind anyone of the 2004 election? A beatable, unpopular incumbent who nevertheless defeats an inept opponent that squanders good will and multiple opportunities for success.
LibraryThing member JohnPhelan
Thompson is always capable of entertaining but this book is pretty thin on insight. By this stage Thompson and his epic ingestion of every intoxicant that came his way was the centre of anything he wrote - even as presidential candidates were being selected and history made around him. As a result,
As I say, I read this book as a teenager and thought it was a hoot. It is, but it doesn't add much to your understanding of American politics.
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Thompson cannot explain why anything that happens does so. He raves about Nixon to an intense degree, assures us that McGovern is a wonder of American politics then does a load of drugs. When he sobers up to see Nixon has trounced McGovern in a landslide he can offer no explanation because he was too cained to see it happening. So he goes back to his drugs and files another journalists copy. As I say, I read this book as a teenager and thought it was a hoot. It is, but it doesn't add much to your understanding of American politics.
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LibraryThing member figre
This is an excellent book, right in there with the best of Hunter S. Thompson’s work. However, strictly because of timing, I found it incredibly depressing. Do yourself a favor; do not read this book during an active presidential campaign. What goes around…the more things change…those who do
This is the story of the 1972 presidential election directly from the front lines of the campaign trail – primarily from a front seat of the disaster that was the McGovern campaign. It provides excellent detail on how things came together, how they fell apart, and how the entire year was a sideshow of inexplicable events. It tells the story of how we pick our presidents, and how others pick them for us. (There I go down that spiral again – come on, pick yourself up.)
And, of course, it has the twisted take on reality that is the hallmark of gonzo journalism. Of course, to call it reality may be giving Thompson more credit for grasping reality than may be deserved. Okay, let’s lay it out there- Thompson is an unreliable narrator. Meaning, healthy grains of salt must be taken. Yet, in spite of this, it is also obvious there is more truth here than we wish to know.
Shy of the last two sections which are primarily Thompson’s meandering thoughts on what went right and wrong (the real low part of the book), this is a fascinating telling of the tale. If you don’t know that much about the 1972 campaign you probably want to start somewhere else. But come back to this one once you have the historical perspective.
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not learn from history…etc. Ah well, let me pick myself up from my depression and go on to review the book.This is the story of the 1972 presidential election directly from the front lines of the campaign trail – primarily from a front seat of the disaster that was the McGovern campaign. It provides excellent detail on how things came together, how they fell apart, and how the entire year was a sideshow of inexplicable events. It tells the story of how we pick our presidents, and how others pick them for us. (There I go down that spiral again – come on, pick yourself up.)
And, of course, it has the twisted take on reality that is the hallmark of gonzo journalism. Of course, to call it reality may be giving Thompson more credit for grasping reality than may be deserved. Okay, let’s lay it out there- Thompson is an unreliable narrator. Meaning, healthy grains of salt must be taken. Yet, in spite of this, it is also obvious there is more truth here than we wish to know.
Shy of the last two sections which are primarily Thompson’s meandering thoughts on what went right and wrong (the real low part of the book), this is a fascinating telling of the tale. If you don’t know that much about the 1972 campaign you probably want to start somewhere else. But come back to this one once you have the historical perspective.
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LibraryThing member ScoutJ
Having not read Thompson previously, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this was an incredible read. Being just old enough to barely remember all of these events, it was a bit of a refresher, but nothing like this ever made the evening news. There are, to me, striking similarities to the 2008
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election. I just hope that there is not the backlash in 2012 that we saw in 1980...if so, the Mayans might have been right. Show Less
LibraryThing member Arctic-Stranger
Other reporters often fed Thompson stories they would never get published in their own papers.
Thompson was a GREAT writer. He started off as a sports writer, and covers politics as well as Angell covered baseball. He does get in the way of his writing, and at times that is humorous, at other times
Thompson was a GREAT writer. He started off as a sports writer, and covers politics as well as Angell covered baseball. He does get in the way of his writing, and at times that is humorous, at other times
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it really reduces the level of work. But the man is...was great. Show Less
LibraryThing member smackfu
Fascinating how much of this book resonates with what's happening in current politics. Nixon = Bush? Slows down near the end, and there's an endless section on parliamentary tactics at the convention.
One note: since it was originally written as weekly commentary for Rolling Stone, it assumes some
One note: since it was originally written as weekly commentary for Rolling Stone, it assumes some
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familiarity with the news of the day. So the beginning of each section may be confusing, but HST usually fills you in if you persist. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kade
One of the most under appreciated Thompson books in his long literary history. Whereas Fear and Loathing was short on facts and filled with fantasy, Campaign Trail '72 captures the spirit of the time but tells it through the lens of somebody who really wanted McGovern to crush Nixon but knew he was
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too idealistic to get voted into office. Filled with just enough Thompson insanity to make it unique, but don't read this if your sole interest in Thompson was the absurdity in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Show Less
LibraryThing member Borg-mx5
The good doctor on the campaign trail in 1972. What could be better than having Hunter use his caustic wit and gonzo journalistic attack on the likes of Nixon, Muskie, and Humphrey? Beyond the humor is some of the most insightful political reporting ever. Thompson is a character in his own books,
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but here the non-fiction aspect shines brightly as well. I would recommend it to any fan/detractor of politics and would consider it must reading for any advanced political science class. Show Less
LibraryThing member Oreillynsf
Personally I found it a waste of paper and ink. Though if you are a Thompson fan, it might float your boat.
LibraryThing member Ste100
Thompson painted Nixon as a monster, but even he remembers that he's human with the classic "Thompson/Nixon Football Talk" bit. A brilliant insight the '72 campaign through Gonzo-tinted glasses.
LibraryThing member Stahl-Ricco
Ahh, Hunter S., “The first journalist in Christendom to go on record comparing Nixon to Hitler?”
I enjoyed this flashback to 1972 and the election. Mostly, it's about how the Democrats lost, than how Nixon won, and the politics involved are deeply interesting. Love the comparison of a politician
I had picked this up after watching "Where The Buffalo Roam", and was interested to know more about the Zoo plane. Strangely, that covers maybe 10 pages total toward the end. Funny, but just a drop of a story in the overall bucket of this book! Still, I'm glad I read it! And I wish Hunter were around today to see how Trump has out-Nixoned Nixon, and how the Hitler comparison is even more applicable today! Boy, he would have had a field day!
One complaint about this edition: The Ralph Steadman artwork is really small in here. So small, in fact, that I could not read most of the words in the pictures. And it's a shame, because his stuff is so damn good! If/when they do another reprint, they should give the man his due! To hell with page constraints!!!
I enjoyed this flashback to 1972 and the election. Mostly, it's about how the Democrats lost, than how Nixon won, and the politics involved are deeply interesting. Love the comparison of a politician
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“on the scent of the White House” to “a bull elk in the rut”! Pure genius! I must admit, I liked the more gonzo bits about Hunter in the hotels and such, but I think if someone is looking for what feels like an honest take on an election, this book does it! It was also interesting to see so many familiar names to me - Gary Hart, Willie Brown, Ron Dellums, Ron Kovic - many before their bigger fame moments!I had picked this up after watching "Where The Buffalo Roam", and was interested to know more about the Zoo plane. Strangely, that covers maybe 10 pages total toward the end. Funny, but just a drop of a story in the overall bucket of this book! Still, I'm glad I read it! And I wish Hunter were around today to see how Trump has out-Nixoned Nixon, and how the Hitler comparison is even more applicable today! Boy, he would have had a field day!
One complaint about this edition: The Ralph Steadman artwork is really small in here. So small, in fact, that I could not read most of the words in the pictures. And it's a shame, because his stuff is so damn good! If/when they do another reprint, they should give the man his due! To hell with page constraints!!!
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LibraryThing member DRFP
A decent bit of political reportage on the US Presidential election of 1972. There are times when the book is too narrative heavy and you wish there was more analysis but overall the ratio isn't too bad. I'm not sure HST brings something different to political coverage in the way that David Foster
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Wallace did to his piece "Up Simba / McCain's Promise" on McCain's bid in 2000 for the Republican party nomination. But there are still plenty of good insights in this book, some accurate, some not so accurate predictions for the future, and plenty of crazy stories too. Show Less
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
It might not be great literature, but it certainly sums up much of the boomer take on the election that gave the world "the Revenge of Richard Nixon," There's a certain amount of grandstanding in this trip to the hyper-atmosphere of the American system, but it's a book I recommend to British and
USA has certainly seemed to outsiders that the USA has been trapped in a narcissistic down-ward spiral involving increasing violence on the international front. Very dangerous for the only functioning biosphere we know of. And this is how Americans choose their leaders, with a lot of mumbo-jumbo, and media madness.
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Canadian friends when they ask "why are the Americans like that?" Since 1978, the USA has certainly seemed to outsiders that the USA has been trapped in a narcissistic down-ward spiral involving increasing violence on the international front. Very dangerous for the only functioning biosphere we know of. And this is how Americans choose their leaders, with a lot of mumbo-jumbo, and media madness.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
I turned nine during 1972, living in the English Midlands, so my recollections of the American Presidential campaign of that year are conspicuous by their paucity. If anyone had asked me during the summer of that year who Richard Nixon was, I might well have replied that I thought he was king of
These pieces are among Thompson's finest - resonant with his rage and increasing disbelief at the vagaries and hypocrisies of politicians and the huge sums of money thrown at the campaigns. It is not clear whom he despised more - President Nixon himself or Hubert Humphrey, for whom his most vitriolic diatribes are reserved. George McGovern, who would eventually secure the Democratic nomination, emerges as a figure worthy of respect. Thompson clearly didn't endorse the whole of his campaign but, let's be honest, it is unlikely that any candidate for any public office who could tick every box in Thompson's manifesto requests could secure backing from the more orthodox political cognoscenti.
More than forty years on these pieces still bring the salient issues to life, and offer a sharp insight into American social history, and the already gaping chasm between 'normal' people's lives and those of the politicians professing to represent them.
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America. Endearingly misguided, perhaps, though it become evident from this collection of Hunter S Thompson's contemporaneous columns for 'Rolling Stone' that he believed that Nixon himself would have agreed with me. [For any regular viewers of Fox News, please note that Richard Nixon was NEVER King of America!].These pieces are among Thompson's finest - resonant with his rage and increasing disbelief at the vagaries and hypocrisies of politicians and the huge sums of money thrown at the campaigns. It is not clear whom he despised more - President Nixon himself or Hubert Humphrey, for whom his most vitriolic diatribes are reserved. George McGovern, who would eventually secure the Democratic nomination, emerges as a figure worthy of respect. Thompson clearly didn't endorse the whole of his campaign but, let's be honest, it is unlikely that any candidate for any public office who could tick every box in Thompson's manifesto requests could secure backing from the more orthodox political cognoscenti.
More than forty years on these pieces still bring the salient issues to life, and offer a sharp insight into American social history, and the already gaping chasm between 'normal' people's lives and those of the politicians professing to represent them.
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LibraryThing member wenestvedt
A strip pulled from a bookstore trash bin, which is where it really should have remained. I think I reviewed my other copy of this book. (God, could I really have two? The shame...)
LibraryThing member untraveller
This was all about the ‘72 Democratic campaign trail because as the heavily favored incumbent Nixon had little campaigning needing to be done. I was in the military overseas at the time, but do remember much of this. Another excellent reason to read this is we are coming into an election year
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with almost identical chronology and a similar villain....Trump is Nixon 2.0 (or 5.0 if the other republican presidents are included). Finished 20.12.19. Show Less
LibraryThing member swmproblems
One of the best books I've ever read and I can't believe it's taken me 35 years to read this book, from beginning to end. It's one of those rare books that gives me confidence to do more of my own writing and makes me believe that I don't necessarily need to stick to a particular style or format of
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writing to be considered good at it. Show Less
LibraryThing member brokengambler
Hunter S. Thompson has the impressive ability to be so F***ed up on drugs that he can't coherently write "spin". Thompson dismisses partisanism (its a forgone conclusion that he hates Nixon, and he doesn't labor the point) and concentrates on the parts of the political process that we never really
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see (why everyone is a swine). Its also entertaining when he goes into rants for no particular reason, he's a terribly good writer for someone who is vaguely psychotic. Show Less
LibraryThing member k6gst
Hilarious, and more serious political analysis than I expected (or necessarily wanted).
Physical description
506 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
0879320532 / 9780879320539