▁and ▁making ▁mistakes . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Convention , ▁during ▁a ▁speech ▁nomin ating ▁George ▁McG overn , ▁he ▁went ▁off - script , ▁saying , ▁" And ▁with ▁George ▁McG overn ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁we ▁wouldn ' t ▁have ▁to ▁have ▁Gest ap o ▁tact ics ▁in ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁Chicago ." ▁Many ▁convent ione ers , ▁having ▁been ▁app alled ▁by ▁the ▁response ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁police ▁to ▁the ▁simultaneously ▁occurr ing ▁anti - war ▁demonstr ations , ▁prompt ly ▁broke ▁into ▁ec static ▁app la use . ▁Television ▁cam eras ▁prompt ly ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁ind ign ant ▁reaction ▁of ▁Chicago ▁Mayor ▁Richard ▁J . ▁D ale y . ▁Rib ico ff ▁spent ▁the ▁remaining ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁Senate ▁career ▁fighting ▁for ▁such ▁liberal ▁issues ▁as ▁school ▁integration , ▁w elf are ▁and ▁tax ▁reform , ▁and ▁consumer ▁protection . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Convention , ▁Rib ico ff ▁turned ▁down ▁George ▁McG overn ' s ▁offer ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁vice - pres ident ial ▁nom ination , ▁which ▁eventually ▁went ▁to ▁Senator ▁Thomas ▁E ag leton . ▁After ▁the ▁withdraw al ▁of ▁E ag leton , ▁McG overn ▁asked ▁Rib ico ff ▁( am ong ▁others ) ▁to ▁take ▁E ag leton ' s ▁place . ▁He ▁refused , ▁public ly ▁stating ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁further ▁amb itions ▁for ▁higher ▁office . ▁McG overn ▁eventually ▁chose ▁S argent ▁Sh river ▁as