For many Democrats, the big election did not take place on Nov. 7, when Richard Nixon faced George McGovern. They regarded the outcome as a foregone, forlorn conclusion. The dramatic confrontation came last week when Jean Westwood was challenged by Robert Strauss for the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee. At stake was not just a top party post but the shape the party will assume in the years ahead.
The battle lines had been sharply drawn. On one side were the McGovern sympathizers, who still commanded a nominal majority on the committee—far...
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