In 1972 George McGovern, facing a very difficult race against Richard Nixon, was having trouble picking a Vice Presidential running mate. He settled on the little-know and little-vetted United States Senator from Missouri, Thomas Eagleton. It was soon revealed that Eagleton had been treated for depression, and that the treatments had included electric shock treatments. While McGovern initially backed his selection, within two weeks Eagleton had been dropped from the ticket and replaced with Sargent Shriver, who was notable for being a Kennedy in-law and having the best name in American Political history.
The chaos and bad publicity from the Eagleton affair is widely credited with crippling an already underdog McGovern campaign, which went on to crushing defeat that November.
Why do I bring this up today? Oh, no reason. Just making conversation.
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