Grandma Leora was so disgusted with the candidates running for president in 1968 that she quipped that she just might vote for comedian Pat Paulsen. This 6-minute video shows Paulsen just before election day.
The candidates that year were Hubert Humphrey (D), Richard Nixon (R) and George Wallace (Independent). Leora was a life-long Democrat, influenced by her father, Sherd Goff.
From her diary of November 5, 1968: “Tue. 40 degrees Cloudy Calm
“ELECTION DAY
“Went to City Hall 8:30 A.M. to vote. Voted mostly Dem. some Prohibition & some Rep.
“VOTED”
She also stopped at Clark’s Barber Shop to see Mildred, who had caught her spike heel in the carpet the night before at Lodge, second stair step to the basement and had rolled all the rest of the way. She said she wasn’t hurt too much by it, but the next day her shoulder was black, Leora recorded.
She got groceries at Super Value before walking home. She watched election returns that evening until 1:30 A.M. but results weren’t announced until the next morning. Nixon won.
Loera was a busy woman and didn’t say more about it, but I guess she didn’t vote for Pat Paulsen after all.
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(Grandma Leora mentioned that November 7 she’d written me a letter. Guy was based at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho, so Grandma’s letters were so welcome.)
Please vote on Election Day, then pray for our nation!
Voted early this time. When our whole family was living at home, I could deliver six votes, but now that we’re empty nesters, only two!
Are you too young to remember Pat Paulson? His mannerisms were droll!
I remember Pat Paulson, sadly I was too young to vote for him.
We didn’t know whether Grandma was serious or not!
Yep, I remember Pat Paulsen, Tricky Dick, Hubie, and Wallace. Leora’s diary entry of what she did on election day in 1968 was quite interesting. 🙂
Thanks, Nancy! At first I thought her diaries weren’t very interesting, but there are fascinating little tidbits in it as well.
I remember him. He didn’t get many votes, but he was the choice for some people.
Especially for those unhappy with the real choices!
I remember Pat Paulson for president! Thank you for posting the video. It made my day.
Thank you, Liz. He was so deadpan!
You’re welcome, Joy. And he didn’t need to drop a bunch of f-bombs to be funny. Fancy that!
I never met a Democrat that didn’t like HHH. He would have been a great president.
Election day this time round is so critical. I hope there is enough prayers and votes to help safeguard our nation.
We may get the one we deserve, huh. Thanks, Don.
I remember people saying they would vote for Paulsen. They felt politics was a joke.
(Hey, Zelensky in the Ukraine was a stand-up comic – so it is possible.)
I didn’t know that. Thanks, GP!
What a BIG smile this gave me… I remember him as a comedian AND I would love to say, that I remember him as having been POTUS!
What fun! Thanks, Annette!
I don’t remember Pat Paulson for president, though I do remember my mom really liking Robert Kennedy. I also remember “Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?”
He was killed in June that year, wasn’t he. . .
Yes, Joy, June 6th. He came by our house in Gary, Indiana during his campaign.
I remember Pat Paulson, Joy! Thanks for reminding me of him. I’ve been making lists of presidential elections and apparently we have A LOT of contentious, close, and agonizing elections in our history. Guess that’s what democracy is all about. I’m praying for this wonderful nation and all the people in it!
Same here, Emery. Thanks!
Joy, thanks so much. Loved Pat Paulsen. In April, 1971, I was honored and delighted to introduce Pat Paulson as the entertainment/speaker at SUNI- spring at UNI event. The crowd loved him as he was getting set to SERIOUSLY run for President in 1972 due to public (tongue in cheek) support. My date and I went out to restaurant in Cedar Falls. I slightly drunk guy came in from the Panther Paw next door and wanted to have Pat come over next door to meet the crowd. He declined politely and turned attention to my date and I and insisted the man say hi to us. He told them we were The Sandpipers, the singing act. He said, “You know, ‘Guantanamera, Guarntanamera…?’ The inebbriated guy shook our hands vigorously…then went back to the Paw. He was priceless. Joy, Thanks again for brining back one of my favorites.
Hey Joy, I hadn’t thought of Pat in forever. If I recall, Mork from Ork said a president is someone elected to ruin the country and throw out a baseball every spring. At least Pat would have been funny doing it, and he just might have been a better choice than the ones who did run.
Thanks, Rich. It was fun to find him again–I forgot how deadpan he was.