Level 1:
In 1972, a man called George McGovern was running for President of the United States. One day, after giving a talk, he went to his hotel room to take a shower. But something went wrong. The water got very hot and he hurt himself. He tried to get out but he couldn’t. People came to help him, but they couldn’t get him out. They had to call the fire department. It was on the news and many people talked about it. Even though it was embarrassing, George McGovern still joked about it.
Level 2:
On April 16, 1972, a United States presidential candidate named George McGovern had an eventful day. After finishing his speech in South Dakota, he went to his hotel room for some rest and relaxation. However, when he tried to take a shower, the water suddenly turned terribly hot, causing him to jump back and hurt his elbow on the faucet. Stumbling and disoriented, he got stuck in the shower and couldn’t get out. Hotel staff tried to help, but they couldn’t free him. Eventually, firefighters had to be called to cut through the pipes and release him. Despite being embarrassing, McGovern kept his sense of humor and joked about the incident with reporters.
Full Story:
April 16, 1972, was an eventful day for presidential candidate George McGovern. He had just finished delivering a speech in South Dakota and was looking forward to some rest and relaxation at his hotel room.
Little did he know that this day would be forever etched in history as the day he got stuck in the shower.
As McGovern stepped into the hotel shower, the water suddenly turned scalding hot, forcing him to jump back and hit his elbow on the faucet. In pain and disoriented, he stumbled and found himself unable to get out of the shower. The more he tried, the more he got stuck.
The hotel staff heard his calls for help and quickly rushed to his aid. However, they were unable to free him from the shower. It was clear that they needed professional help.
The fire department was called, and firefighters arrived with saws and other tools to cut through the pipes and get McGovern out of the shower. Meanwhile, news reporters who had been following the campaign trail heard about the incident and raced to the scene.
In no time, the hotel lobby was filled with people trying to catch a glimpse of the presidential candidate stuck in the shower. Reporters were snapping photos and taking notes, while firefighters worked frantically to free him.
Finally, after what must have seemed like an eternity, McGovern was freed from the shower. He emerged, soaking wet and shivering, to a round of applause and cheers.
Despite the embarrassing incident, McGovern managed to keep a good sense of humor about it. He joked with reporters that this was the kind of thing that happened when you were running for president.
The incident quickly made headlines around the world, with newspapers and TV stations reporting on the “shower debacle” of the presidential candidate. It became one of the most memorable moments of the campaign trail, and even today, over 50 years later, people still talk about it.
Looking back on that day, McGovern himself said that he was grateful for the incident. He believed that it showed him in a more human light and helped voters relate to him as a person, rather than just a politician.
In the end, despite getting stuck in the shower, George McGovern went on to win his party’s nomination for president but lost to Richard Nixon in the general election. However, the “shower debacle” remains one of the most entertaining and unforgettable moments in American political history.
Questions:
Who was George McGovern and what happened to him on April 16, 1972?
How did the news of the “shower debacle” impact George McGovern’s presidential campaign?
What was the hotel staff’s initial response when they heard George McGovern yelling for help in the shower?
Do you think the incident helped or hurt George McGovern’s public image? Why?
In your opinion, what is the most memorable political moment in American history?
Fill in the Blanks:
frantically, debacle, eventful, disoriented
April 16, 1972, was an ________ day for presidential candidate George McGovern. In pain and ________, he stumbled and found himself unable to get out of the shower. Reporters were snapping photos and taking notes, while firefighters worked ________ to free him. The incident quickly made headlines around the world, with newspapers and TV stations reporting on the “shower ________” of the presidential candidate.
Vocabulary:
eventful - full of events; marked by interesting or important happenings, separated by semicolon
disoriented - confused and uncertain about where one is and what is happening, separated by semicolon
frantically - done in a hurried or chaotic way, separated by semicolon
debacle - a sudden and complete failure, often with embarrassing results, separated by hyphen
campaign trail - the activities involved in running for public office, such as giving speeches, shaking hands, and attending rallies
