Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72

Rereading Hunter S. Thompson's speed & acid-addled account of the 1972 U.S. presidential campaign is a profoundly enlightening experience, especially in light of the creativity and innovation Thompson infused in his reinvention of political journalism that proved to be (and still is) way ahead of its time. Fear & Loathing 2016--simply substute Hillary R. Clinton for Richard M. Nixon (Thompson realized more forty years ago that "Democrat" and "Republican" were equivalent to "heads" or "tails" of the same all-consuming Washington beast). There is no McGovern (sorry Bernie), and Trump, who will win it all hands-down, is the kind of wildcard that only once-in-a-century political climate change can produce...so in a way this 2016 campaign shapes up to be one of the most insane in Amercan history. What a long, strange trip it's going to be. But let's be clear: Clinton=Nixon. It may be twisted, but it's true! Welcome to the Brave New America! And one final thought: Hunter would be disgusted by the pathetic commercial sell-out that "Rolling Stone" is today--retire the magazine--it's been dead for years now and it's still receiving a social security check. Burn the Stone...bury the charred corpse!

I have heard and read enthusiastic references to the book over the years. I don't find much to be impressed about, it really doesn't hold my attention. I have a real dislike for politics at any level, and I thought a highly praised author like Hunter S. Thompson might be able to make it entertaining to a degree.
Maybe some will enjoy it, but it certainly isn't for me.

There are certain books that help define the tumultuous era between JFK's election and Nixon's resignation. Fear and Loathing can included in a list with The Best and the Brightest, Armies of the Night, Nixon Agonistes and All the President's Men. Just as importantly, each of these writers - Halberstam, Thompson, Mailer and Wills - infused their texts with a writing style that matched in virtuosity the events being covered.

Gonzo Journalism was well suited to a sixties journey to Vegas but is even more illuminating covering the 1972 election. Thompson is insightful enough to read the political currents of the campaigns and conventions while lending his own brand of craziness to an epoch of American electioneering that makes our rabid era look placid in comparison. He can start with an interesting observation such as: "Hubert (Humphrey) seems genuinely puzzled by the fast-rising tide of evidence that many once-sympathetic voters no longer believe anything he says." The author later stretches a bit to say that "Sending Muskie against Nixon would have been like sending a three-toed sloth out to seize turf from a wolverine." Soon, Thompson is describing Muskie's emotional collapse over the "Canuck letter" through a fantasy in which an Ibogaine induced candidate imagines that gila monsters are attacking his legs as he speaks from a train. The beauty of the text is that somehow, Thompson's nightmare version seems more real than what actually occurred.

Not to be overlooked are Englishman Ralph Steadman's wonderful and embittered illustrations such as Nixon waving to supporters behind a police line. The book also includes a host of well chosen photos which stretch our vision of the era: Gary Hart planning with Warren Beatty; Sam Yorty waving from his touring bus; a CREEP button which reads "Acid, Amnesty, Appeasement: Vote McGovern;" Sammy Davis Jr's famous man hug of Nixon; and a shot of Thompson writing in sun glasses with 2 Miller High Lifes in front of him. The best photo of all catches McGovern's expression of visceral disappointment on the way to a press conference to announce that his new running mate had a history of (you can't make this stuff up) electric shock treatments.

Thompson admits his biases and argues that no writer can transcend his/her own preconceptions: "With the possible exception of box scores, race results and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms." Given his bias, however, Doctor Gonzo demonstrates, at times, an unequaled eye and unsparing observations. On the counter-culture: "The importance of Liking Yourself is a notion that fell heavily out of favor during the coptic, anti-ego frenzy of the Acid Era - but nobody guessed, back then, that the experiment might churn up this kind of hangover: a whole subculture of frightened illiterates with no faith in anything." On the 1968 Democratic nominee: "Hubert Humphrey is a treacherous, gutless old ward-heeler who should be put in a goddamn bottle and sent out with the Japanese current." On Ed Muskie's doomed campaign: "He talked like a farmer with terminal cancer trying to borrow money on next year's crop." On the appeal of the candidate from Alabama: "George Wallace is one of the worst charlatans in politics but there is no denying his talent for converting frustration into energy." On blind ambition: "A career politician finally smelling the White House is not much different at all from a bull elk in rut." On message discipline: "If God himself had showed up in Miami and denounced Nixon from the podium, hired gunsels from the Committee for the Re-Election of the President would have quickly had him arrested for disturbing the peace."

Fear and Loathing may no longer be topical in its 40th year edition but it remains as insightful, controversial and often hilarious political reporting. Thompson was not just the drug-crazed reporter made infamous by Johnny Depp. He is also one of the pioneering journalists of the last half of the 20th century and this book is by far his finest and most serious effort.

The 35-year-old Hunter S. Thompson spent a year for Rolling Stone magazine mostly covering McGovern's campaign. If you are not familiar with his work, then buckle up. You're in for a bumpy ride. 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72' bounces back and forth between being informative and, other times, it's just darn-right bizarre. Fortunately, it's always entertaining. This is the third work I've read by Mr. Thompson. The first one was the excellent 'Hell's Angels'. The second book, which I did not like at all, was 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. In fact, 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' left such a bad taste in my mouth, I was hesitant about reading 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72'. I"m glad I took the plunge.

What Mr. Thompson does bring to the table is a close-up of the politicians, campaign staff, and press who were involved in the surreal adventure of running for president. Fortunately, the author didn't care one iota about ticking off the people he was covering. Thompson took plenty of shots at Chicago's Richard Daley, Senator Ted Kennedy, President Nixon, and a lot of notables I had to google because they've faded into obscurity since the book was published in 1973. Man oh man, Thompson especially goes full bore at Minnesota's Senator Hubert Humphrey and Maine's Senator Ed Muskie. For example, he called them respectively a "turnip" and "dingbat" and both were lumped in with other certain politicians as "senile leeches." And those are the VERY MILD insults. Mr. Thompson acerbic but funny comments are littered throughout the book. However, he also seriously presents the repercussions of the George Wallace assassination attempt; how political hacks and celebrity reporters muscle themselves into a campaign once the candidate takes the lead; the Democrat and Republican conventions; the ungodly boredom and jolts of excitement of covering a presidential campaign; and, last but not least, the whole Thomas Eagleton for Vice President fiasco.

Hunter S. Thompson was a unique individual. The guy certainly drank like a fish and drugs seemed to be one of his four major food groups. I wouldn't have been surprised if his blood was 80 proof. Despite his eccentric nature, the author could be insightful and hilarious, but also couldn't seem to help himself from going off on nonsensical tangents that had absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand. A good example is the book's epitaph. It's simply a waste of paper. You may even be duped into believing a few of Thompson's off-the-cuff jokes are factual. The guy is an acquired taste.

"Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" along with "The Boys on the Bus" by Tim Crouse are not just the two most important books on the second Nixon takeover but two of the finest books ever written on the American political process from inside the dogged and confidentally imbibing traditional political press corps. If "All The President's Men" and "The Imperial Presidency" and "Breach of Faith" completely took down the shroud that hid how ordinary and flawed the people running the 'big show' in Washington were, then these two books showed in no uncertain terms that this was real and genuine, and also that the men (mostly) who covered these events were equally flawed either by personal prejudices or the simple regurgitation of campaign drivel or these two character flaws sublimented by too much time at the open bar (and a good political campaign back in the old days always had an open bar lubing the wheels of democracy).

While I would never denegrate Crouse's book, Thompson's effort speaks to me more and I think brings about the entire bad craziness and outright callousness bordering on a revival-level of plain meanness that embodied Nixon and his hired goons. The hatred these men seemed to have for America, or at least round about half its eligible voters, is truly remarkable. They were only concerned in stacking the 'right' against the 'left' and arming the right with flamethrowers ... that was their ideal Sunday after-brunch political conversation.

As Frank Mankewiz famously said, Thompson's book is the "least factual but most accurate" book written on the campaign ... honestly, I think it's true of any campaign.

It's damned funny as well. Not to be missed as it is one of Thompson's finest works and perhaps was the beginning of his final truly brilliant and insightful stretch of writing that began to unravel about a decade later, the years of bad craziness nipping at his heels and then finally hauling him down like an Ibex on the sarengetti. Once he held up in his armed compound, The Owl Farm, the wild dives into the fray were done long-distance and the true Gonzo years were over.

Can't stop from getting sentimental still even tho hes been gone for a while now. I miss him. But he left lots for us to enjoy and still learn from.

This book was my introduction to American politics, and I've never needed another. I was 21, Scottish, and couldn't believe what I was reading. Were people over there REALLY allowed to write things like: "Hubert Humphrey is a contemptible old fraud?" Never mind that he makes the case brilliantly? If you think American politics has only recently become deranged, you need this book to convince yourself that no - it's always been exactly this weird.

And besides, just imagine what he has to say about a rally in an NFL stadium where whole cows are being barbequed right on the Astroturf while rows of Uncle Sams pranced about, overcome with joy. HST perhaps aggrandizes his closeness with Nixon a bit (and is rather naively impressed with Nixon's rather average NFL knowledge), but he also defines and describes the weird machine that is American politics about as well as anyone has.

Hunter S Thompson may or may not have been trendy since he began being famous back in the 1960s. Who knows? I'm only old enough to know that he has always been linked to Gonzo journalism and being a bit of a character. That being said, this book is a very interesting take on the 1972 campaign for President.

You get a lot of the main characters and the narrative plays out against the backdrop of Watergate. Knowing how the story plays out over the next several years, there is still tension to the stories because you want to jump into the middle of the book and scream at all of the people involved: "Wait! Can't you see that Nixon is a devious crook! Don't you know that Nixon is going to bring the country to its knees in scandal?"

That being said, I should note that I read the book during the middle of the 2012 election. In reading the account of the 1972 election, I find myself wondering what Hunter might have had to say about Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Not to mention what he might have said about Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and any of the other cast of characters that make up what passes for political dialogue in 2012 or 2013 for that matter.

You gotta have a goal in life. Since I'm too broke to take a proper vacation, I've decided to stay home, work on this house and read Hunter Thompson. I've only read his Vegas book (the first page was the best). Time to read about McGovern.

Simply put: Hunter is a joy to read.

Things I've learned: In 1972, we used to have actual factories where politicians used to wait until the shifts changed in order to shake worker's hands. Where do they go now? Taco Bell?

What else? McGovern blew it by not making nice with the union politicians. That means we used to have unions in this country. Amazing! And Hunter's text (rather hateful) on Humphrey is not to be missed.

Anything more? No. Journalists have gotten too stylized. Soft. Lazy. Not decadent enough. Too removed from the working classes. Too well educated to have anything really fun to say. Too concerned about their own career climbing to write anything original or take a chance on being wrong on an opinion. Politics should be covered like this: First person, on the cuff, with booze and gusto.

Hunter, you are missed. And McGovern was a gem.

Great book if you like politics. The author's impressions of Humphrey, McGovern, Nixon and Muskie are hilarious. There are many parallels to today's presidential race the main one being more people are interested in professional football then they are in the race for the presidency. Lastly, a young person today reading the book will probably be shocked at the author's cavalier attitude toward consuming vast amounts of alcohol and drugs and then getting in a car and driving. Something which is no longer accepted as tolerable behavior but back in 1972 was not at all shocking as evidenced by the author's recounting how many times he did such.

In "Campaign Trail '72", Dr. Thompson gets right at the heart of American politics today. The election process and American politics have been pretty much changed since Kennedy, and the involvement of TV in the campaigning process. Funny enough, Thompsons unabashed Nixon bashing and the circumstances of the '72 election seem very similar to the political climate, and state of international affairs we have before us right now. With people questioning our legitimacy in occupying Iraq, and a popular yet extreme right-wing president coming to the end of his first term, it almost seems as if nothing has changed. Or at least, we've gone full circle. Thompson draws attention to the relationship between big money and politics, and the 'untouchable' nature of the presidency. Even though the public had basically all the facts about Watergate, it was basically irrelevant to the voters overall view of Nixon, and the outcome of the election. Watergate was really just a political war, drummed up by Ted Kennedy and the democrats to embarass Nixon, and get him out of the white house. Watergate type scandal takes place all the time...Its just a question of whether or not it is played at the right time, and in the right way...Similar to the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal.

Thompson's idealistic nature bubbles up to the surface of his 'journalistic' coverage of the campaign. He doesn't hide the fact that he is a complete idealist; maybe not too far from an anarchist. He praises McGovern for his honesty and openness, and openly supports his candidacy (for the most part). At the same time, I think this probably IS one of the most honest documentaries of the political process, esepecially the presidential election. (as many reviewers state...)

His idealism brings him so far as to say that he is considering running for the US Senate from Colorado in 1974. He obviously has strong feelings about what America is and should be (as most of his writing centers on) and is realistic enough to know that the only way to really change things is through the political system.

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 is an instant snapshot of America completing its transition into the Seventies. Having grown weary of Sixties’ culture wars and of that nasty other war in Southeast Asia, the American public narrowly elects Nixon as President in ‘68. We are now in 1972, and Nixon is soliciting voters for a second term. Enter Hunter S. Thompson, dispatched by Rolling Stone magazine to cover the presidential campaign with his trademark “gonzo” reporting, which entails participating into events as they happen instead of conventionally reporting them. After following the Democratic Party primaries, he eventually latches onto Senator George McGovern’s doomed effort which ends in a Nixon landslide.

Thompson’s depiction of the era makes for a nice nostalgia trip, especially for a Millenial like me. He files his stories to Rolling Stone HQ using the newfangled Mojo Wire (aka fax machine) and the “Watergate thing”, as he calls it, is out there but hasn’t yet exploded into a presidency-destroying scandal. Journalists lug around typewriters and ‘50s vintage Hudson Hornets are still in rental car lots. He routinely uses politically incorrect language which would cause uproar today, although Donald’s Trump’s current 2016 campaign does make me question that statement.

Chapters are loosely organized by month. In my opinion, the first half of the book is a bit of a slog as Thompson finds his bearings while toying around now long-forgotten candidates. The pace eventually picks up as McGovern is confirmed as presidential candidate in July and immediately blunders with the nomination of Tom Eagleton as his running mate. Weeks later, Thompson watches a column of Vietnam War veterans silently marching towards the hall where the Republican convention is being held, an event which he recounts as being much scarier that anarchic demonstrations of dope-addled youngsters.

The best parts of the book, and the most relevant today, are those describing the underbelly of an electoral campaign. Pages are devoted to an account of the grassroots-level organization which delivers a McGovern upset in Wisconsin and to the complex parliamentary maneuvers used to secure the nomination in Miami, among other things. Even in this age of social media, basic electoral tactics remain the same: get known, focus on a few key issues which matter to voters (not donors!), stay on message and don’t let your opponents define you. Then, get the vote out and don’t make mistakes.

The last few chapters are devoted to discussing the election results, including an interview with McGovern himself. That analysis nails reasonably well the reasons for McGovern’s defeat. Basically, he ran a campaign on liberal Sixties themes against an electorate who had grown more conservative, which played right into Nixon holding the center-right. It might have worked, but instead of rallying around McGovern, the frustrated Democratic stalwarts voted Nixon instead. The final nail in the coffin was the Eagleton affair which shattered McGovern’s image as an anti-politician, one who would do things differently, thus losing the goodwill of the constituencies that had supported him in the primaries.

Although I enjoyed the book, the frequent drug use references are an unnecessary distraction, perhaps Thompson had to manage Rolling Stone reader expectations. Thompson’s prose veers off at times into rambling monologues typical of his writings, and the epilogue is awful in that aspect. At the very end, Thompson muses about running for the U.S. Senate then walks off into the night to presumably get drunk.
If you’ve never read any of Hunter S. Thompson’s titles, I’d recommend picking up Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas first, because it is his legacy-defining Gonzo opus. If you’re a presidential politics junkie, then this book is a must-read.

It is revealing that thirty-five years after this book was first published, it is still in print and going strong. Bear in mind that this was originally a series of magazine articles, written under pressure of deadline for Rolling Stone. I could read it (and will read it) again and again. Just think of Theodore White's "Making of a President" series. Just give Teddy a couple of hits of blotter acid and you have "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72" by Hunter S. Thompson.

This could only be described as journalistic poetry. The passion rage and ultimate disillusionment expressed by Thompson throughout these pages are as moving today as they were when first written in 1972. Covering the doomed campaign between a crooked used car salesman like Dick Nixon and a statesman of George's McGovern's stature must have been a soul wrenching experience. Given the benefit of hindsight, especially what the months following its publication would reveal about the depths of the Nixon Gang's corruption, reading this book is all-the-more bittersweet. But it's also funny - screamingly so.

It really shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with his work that Hunter would eventually be consumed by his own rage. It can't be easy for a person with so clear a grasp of the hypocrisies of the so-called American dream to live amongst us as a functioning, mentally healthy human being. How could it have been easy being Hunter Thompson?

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

From Thompson's opening description of Washington D.C. to his final pondering on power and the nature of the political beast known as the presidential candidate, Thompson is right on the money. In this chronicle he follows various democratic hopefuls around the country during their campaigns to win the democratic nomination for the office of the president.
He contrasts the personalities of the candidates as well as their platforms. He shows the effects of the rigors of campaigning on the individuals and the workings of the political machine of the democratic party in the early 1970's.
After McGovern won the nomination, he analyzes how he won it and how it caused the schizm in the democratic party. He shows the differences between the nomination campaign and the presidential campaign from the National party perspective and finally he contrasts the Nixon campaign and bargaining with that of McGovern.
This is one of the best that Thompson ever has written. His analysis of the campaign and the personalities was pretty much right on the money. The book is not all work and no play, though. His incisive wit is promently displayed and his knack of being in the right place (or the wrong in some cases) gives him the chance to view certain activities from a perspective that most people don't get a chance to see. His descriptions of the organization meeting for the "spontaneous demonstration" by basically high school students at the Republican convention is hysterical. Especially his reasoning of why he participated as a 35 year old wearing a McGovern for President button alone is worth reading, not to mention the incident on the Sunshine Special that caused him to become persona nongrata on the Muskie campaign. If any Thompson book should be made required reading, this one is it. At least you'll enjoy it.

Most political science texts are pedantic, dry, and boring. This one is not. The author is known for gonzo journalism; an essentially free association form of writing aided by copious intakes of drugs, hallucinogenics, alcohol, and God knows what else. It is a form of free-for-all frenzy that Thompson has elevated to a fine art. Initiates to this style of writing may be inclined to dismiss it as drug-crazed nonsense, but bear with the book, even though sections of it are marked with coarse, but funny, insults, tales of escapades under the influence, and frightful poems by the author.
Admixed in this collage is the background story of the McGovern campaign of 1972, and a remarkable journey it is. Thompson closely examines the dynamics of groundroots politics, including issue formation, organization, campaign tactics, conventioneering, and the like. He shows you the Eagleton debacle, the abdication of labor's role in the Democratic Party, why Muskie failed miserably, the use of drugs by candidates, and a thousand other things you would never have thought about unless you are active in political campaigns.
Overall, the book is a scintillating picture of America at the closing of the Vietnam era, and the effect this had on politics. I recommend the book very highly to anyone interested in the political process, INCLUDING professors, students, political operatives, and the person in the street. Thompson was out there. He saw the campaign in action and reports his views with great passion and by never being dull. I loved the book.

As a Journalist Hunter S. Thompson is by no means impartial. Instead of striving to give an unbaised account of events around him, he writes thing exactly as he sees them. That's the whole point though. In a sense, it's also a large part of what makes this book so very interesting. Thompson doesn't give the reader a glossed over "Road to the Whitehouse" view of politics; his book gives the reader a chance to look at the underbelly of those fat cats who scramble for votes every four years. It captures one aspect of elections that most people don't even really think about. Instead of jumping straight into the Nixon-McGovern battle for presidency, Thompson begins with the primary campaigning. He focuses on the turmoil that occurs within a party when it is trying to choose a suitable candidate. In this case, he looks at all the various democrats who were rushing to face the incumbent: Nixon. Thus, we're allowed to look at the political landscape, and know who the primary and secondary actors are. It allows you to see how Muskey and McCarthy were important then in the same sense That McCain and Forbes are now. For me, this was the most valuable part of the book. However, the actual contest between Nixon and McGovern is interesting, and worth reading as well. Fear and Loathing on the campaign trail is twisted , and hilarious. At times (if not all the time), one wonders just how trustworthy all the accounts that Thompson is feeding you are --the unreliable narrator. However, whether you chose to believe him, or not, his passion for the political scene is unquestionable. For all of his drug induced ranting, Thompson has a certain profound nature about him. His knowledge of the political figures of the time is extremely impressive. I would recomend this book for anyone interested in the political process, or political involvement with the media. Through Thompson's coverage, you can see the profound effect that mass media has had on the porcess of electing the president of this country.

Hunter S. Thompson has always been a great writer, with his breathless prose and over-the-top commentary he could never be accused of pulling his punches or shying away from speaking his mind - but a book on the 1972 presidential campaign? How could anyone make that even vaguely interesting?
Thompson not only makes it interesting, he makes it gripping, despite the fact the end result is given in the foreword! The book is a compelling look at the presidential year the saw Nixon's re-election, viewed by a drug-crazed loon with no respect for the incumbent candidate ("the dingbat"), or the rules of being a Washington reporter. HST tears them down and clearly loves every minute of it.
While the book isn't as flat-out entertaining as "...Las Vegas", it can also be read in much the same way as "1984" and "Animal Farm" by Orwell. Basically the story takes on another level of meaning and another sense of urgency when viewed an an allegory for today. It's sad, but we're in the same situation today as we were 31 years ago:
A Republican incumbent who doesn't care about ordinary people.
American soldiers dying every day for no good reason.
An apathetic public.
A huge number of Democratic hopefuls that are more content on tearing each other apart than in actually appearing electable.
A Democratic Party Leadership that wants to be centrist, "Republican Lite".
A Democratic rank-and-file that wants a huge swing to the left.
For George McGovern read Howard Dean - the parallels are uncanny. Both have a huge intensely committed (or devoted) grassroots activist following, both are shunned by the mainstream Democratic party, both are politely ignored by a press who thinks they're "perfect, but won't win because everyone says they can't win".
Well, McGovern did win the party nomination and went on to get thoroughly trounced by Nixon by an electorate that had taken a huge swing to the right. Read this book and tremble, and then go out and get involved in politics!*
*As a sidenote, Nixon was eventually done in 2 years later when Watergate (which is mentioned in passing in the book as a brewing scandal) eventually explodes and leads the attempt to impeach Nixon. Is there a similar scandal waiting in the wings today? The missing WMD perhaps? The leak that exposed the CIA operative? The Enron collapse?

This review was originally used to comment on Hunter Thompson's Songs of the Doomed. Since most of the points I made in my review of that book apply here I will let that review stand in here. Obviously each book is formatted differently but whether Thompson was skewering the Nixon era, the Reagan era or the Bush eras the song is the same. And it aint pretty.

Generally the most the trenchant social criticism, commentary and analysis complete with a prescriptive social program ripe for implementation has been done by thinkers and writers who work outside the realm of bourgeois society, notably socialists and other progressive thinkers. Bourgeois society rarely allows itself, in self defense, to be skewered by trenchant criticism from within. This is particularly true when it comes from a known dope fiend, gun freak and all-around lifestyle addict like the late, lamented Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Although he was far from any thought of a socialist solution and would reject such a designation we could travel part of the way with him. We saw him as a kindred spirit. He was not one of us- but he was one of us. All honor to him for pushing the envelope of journalism in new directions and for his pinpricks at the hypocrisy of bourgeois society. Such men are dangerous.

I am not sure whether at the end of the day Hunter Thompson saw himself or wanted to been seen as a voice, or the voice, of his generation but he would not be an unworthy candidate. In any case, his was not the voice of the generation of 1968 being just enough older to have been formed by the earlier, less forgiving milieu of the 1950's. His earlier writings reflect struggle against formalistic journalism. Only a few, and with time it seems fewer in each generation, allow themselves to search for some kind of truth even if they cannot go the whole distance. As with all journalists, as indeed with all writers especially those who are writing under the gun and for mass circulation media these works show an uneven quality. However the total effect is to blast old bourgeois society almost to its foundations. Others will have to push on further.

One should note that `gonzo' journalism is quite compatible with socialist materialism. That is, the writer is not precluded from interpreting the events described within himself/herself as an actor in the story. The worst swindle in journalism, fostered by the formal journalism schools, as well as in other disciplines like history and political science is that somehow one must be `objective'. Reality is better served if the writer puts his/her analysis correctly and then gets out of the way. In his best work that was Hunter's way.

As a member of the generation of 1968 I would note that this was a period of particular importance in which won Hunter his spurs as a journalist. Hunter, like many of us, cut his political teeth on one Richard Milhous Nixon, at one time President of the United States and all- around political chameleon. Thompson went way out of his way, and with pleasure, skewering that man when he was riding high. He was moreover just as happy to kick him when he was down, just for good measure. Nixon represented the `dark side' of the American spirit- the side that appears today as the bully boy of the world and as craven brute. Sound familiar? If for nothing else Brother Thompson deserves a place in the pantheon of journalistic heroes for this exercise in elementary hygiene. Anyone who wants to rehabilitate THAT man before history please consult Thompson's work. Hunter, I hope you find the Brown Buffalo wherever you are. Read this book. Read all his books.

All too often, Hunter Thompson's remarkable and vast journalistic production has been overwhelmed and deluded by his famous work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It would seem that most Thompson readers fail to see that Thompson's works, far from being one esoteric drug opus, range the spectrum of popular cultre, politics, and to a great extent a large segment of American history.

One of his best and most illuminating books, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72, is written with the cutting commentary and breakneck pace so recognizable as Thompson. However, each comment and postulation is well researched and based on deep thought, even if enhanced by the occassional milky hit of Singapore Gray.

Thompson studies the 1972 Presidential election month by month, following both polls and candidates across the nation. Rather than see the election as a political institution, Thompson slices away the media fat and studies candidates, their motivations, and the varied behavior of the American constituency.

The author takes time to explore each candidate, although concentrating mostly on the Democratic Party, discussing their platforms on the major issues of the time: amnesty, the de-escalation of Vietnam, the civil rights movement, etc. and accurately and insightfully illustrates their place in not only the election, but in America during the early 1970's.

Thompson, having closely studied politics for innumberable years illustrates waves and trends throughout American politics, from 1964-72, with numerous and ultimately accurate predictions for the future.

Although a different work than Fear in Loathing in Las Vegas, a very interesting and personal look at American politics and Thompson the journalist. A must read for "politics junkies" as well as Thompson fans.

Rock and Roll, baby, Rock and Roll.
For anyone trying to catch a glimpse of the madness that was the early 1970's, read this book. Everyone was in the Wasteland of what the 1960's had wrought and this book takes you to that very place where people from both sides were getting over the burn.
The first time I read this book, it was a light coming on and it gets more to my liking every time I return. Hunter S. Thompson is the Original Outlaw Journalist, and after opening this book it won't take you very long to find out why.
A few reviews down the list, ashleyrosebud misses the entire point of what Hunter Thompson was trying to do. She longs for the drug induced prose of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, and propbably has nostalgic feelings for "Where the Buffalo Roam," starring Bill Murray as Dr. Thompson. The truth is, "Capaign Trail '72" is what gonzo journalism is all about. The truth is you owe it to yourself to read this version of politics, this tale of madness and insanity that was the 1972 election, and what I can honestly say to be the best political writing I have ever read.

Another classic from HST, in fact maybe my favorite work of his. The setting for the book is the presidential campaign of 1972 pitting Gorge McGovern against Richard Millhouse Nixon. It begins with Thompson being sent by Rolling Stone to be the Washington D.C. correspondent for the magazine. From there the rollercoaster ride begins. HST chronicles the campaign from first, covering the Democratic primaries and running to the nomination of McGovern at the Democratic National Convention, and finally the Presidential election itself.

HST pioneered his own unique style of gonzo journalism and this book, along with the classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, defined him and his craft. Stark in its style and approach, the prospective provided by HST of what it is like to be out there on the campaign trail is unique to my knowledge. A dramatic inside story of the battles of the campaign trail emerges and fills in significant gaps in other press coverage of the time. HST's quest for truth, politics, and the eternal buzz paint a picture that the straight press never could because of restrictions like `objectivity' and the like. The result is perhaps the best account to date on what is really going on behind the scenes of a campaign for the highest office in the land.

The only drawback about reading HST is that it always gives me an incredible urge to drink and act in a semi-crazed style. It is says something about the infectious nature of his work and one often finds oneself wishing there were more gonzo journalists writing today.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in politics and the machinery behind it. Even if politics aren't your cup up tea, HST brings a new dimension to any subject that he writes about, one that can be appreciated for its raw truth as well as its unconventional delivery. Although HST only provides one way of looking at politics out many possible, readers would be doing a disservice to themselves by passing over this book. Other views are widely espoused by many journalists and pundits, but to my knowledge no one else has tread where HST has dared to go.

This one gets 5 stars for being original, highly entertaining, and remaining relevant to this day.

This is certainly one of Thompson's more substantial (heavy) works--not the easy page-turner for those who've only read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"--but those who take the time to read this book will find the same beautifully acidic wit and ingenious insight that Thompson brings to the craft of storytelling.

Here, more so than in FaLiLV, Thompson's "Gonzo" journalistic-style becomes apparent--at one point Thompson reveals that one Democratic Presidential hopeful (Musky) is being seen regularly by a South American with doctor who's prescribing various questionable "medicines" for the politician, which explain his "strange" emotionally erratic behavior.

Interestingly, Thompson, himself, would later note the power that a journalist's reporting of "the facts" can have in the political world when that politician rescinds their candidacy.

If there's anyone who enjoys reading anything slightly heavier than Harry Potter left these days, I'd highly recommend they pick this up and give it a read--a truly curious and insightful look into American politics in the Seventies.

This is my favourite Hunter S. Thompson book and the one I have re-read the most.

H.S.T can work on many levels, so even if you are new to the mechanism of American politics, and the monotonous unforgiving grind of campaigning (like I was), or, you have an extensive grasp of it, then this book will appeal greatly to both.

I think this book is greater than Las Vegas. The writing is excellent (the best from Thompson in my opinion) with prose that can be vicious/potent/incindary/poetic (depending on Thompson's frame of mind).

The book has relevance today on three levels. Firstly, to the the voter who wishes to understand why and how strings are pulled and what goes on behind 'the scenes'. Secondly, to those who wish to seek a career in political journalism (their life can be just a tiresome experience as the campaigners) and thirdly, to any up and coming political candidate (it can be a unrewarding, even humiliating experience - judging by this book ).

This long & large book chronicles the events leading up to the re-election of the corrupt Nixon administration that rightly got swallowed up by its own greed & backroom dealings. The good Gonzo Doctor is on the campaign trail supporting Democratic candidate George McGovern & getting an insight of the American political machine over the course of a year which makes it a lot longer read than ...Las Vegas, whilst both are based on real events, this one is slightly more believable. There is a stage where HST actually gets an interview w/ Tricky Dicky & they watch the football game together since it is a common interest/passion, & there weren't any others. @ another stage he gets in another drug haze & that chapter gets written by the editor [bearing in mind that this is a collection of contemporary articles for Rolling Stone, not a nostalgic tracing of history, he lived & breathed those times], probing questions from HST. This kind of reading would be appropriate right now [late 2000] seeing as America is on the verge of maybe giving power to scum like G.W. Bush & if you read the book from the 1988 campaign, Generation of Swine, you'll see HST thought as much of the elder Bush. Anyway, for someone who doesn't read political historical books like this [& in my case who also wasn't born then & live in Australia], HST's writing style makes it more than interesting enough, he could probably write about paint drying & make it a genuine literary masterpiece. I recall the edition I read had a great Ralph Steadman art cover [& occasional illustrations inside too]. good stuff.

I have read a number of Hunter Thompson's books. Some were very good and some were just too "over the top". There are elements of both in "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 1972". This book focusses on the 1972 Democratic campaign for President beginning with the start of the primary campaign. Thompson has his favorites in the race and it is helpful that one of them, George McGorvern, wins the Democratic nomination. Along the way to the nomination, we are treated to Thompson's vile opinions of others in the race such as Edmund Muskie and, especially, Hubert Humphrey.

Thompson's book is essentially a compilation of articles that were written for "The Rolling Stone" throughout the campaign. The articles meld together well. Thompson appears to have been treated nearly the same as other "main stream" reporters although there are times that he seems to be off on his own. The book concludes with a helpful insight to the reasons behind the catastrophic loss suffered by McGovern.

I enjoyed this book for the insight and the recollections that it provided me. I was 20 year's old in 1972 and, thanks to President Nixon, able to vote in my first election. I was an avid supporter of McGovern back then. I understood his reasons for dropping his running mate, Thomas Eagleton, after disclosures of Eagleton's past mental health treatment became public. In the week that followed that revelation, the only news that the press seemed to write about the McGovern campaign was an on-going analysis of Eagleton's suitability for the office. With nothing coming out about McGovern or his issues, it seemed an unfortunate inevibility to have to cast aside Eagleton to be able to refocus on McGovern. Of course, that only made matters worse and McGovern's campaign never recovered from it. Thompson gives a fair amount of insight to that event that helped me to understand it better. There were other insights as well but that leads me to my objection of Hunter Thompson's book. There were enough scenes of the standard drug-crazed observations that made me realize that I couldn't be sure what was fact or what was a sort of morning after effort to recollect the foggy night before. Some things clearly seemed impossible to be true. Some things seemed clearly a representation of factual inside information. However, there were enough questionable accounts that I had to set aside because of Thompson's wasted pages spent building up his persona. Were these events real or imagined like the mescaline deal taking place outside his motel window? Were these quotaions accurrate or just as imagined as the various mind-altering drugs that Thompson was sure some of the various candidates were taking? The problem with Hunter Thompson is that you never know what to believe. He took on a worthy topic and had a lot to share. A lengthy transcript of one of his interviews betrays a fairly normal, intelligent journalist's questions of a candidate. If he had played it straight, this would have been a much more significant contribution to the Presidential Campaign of 1972. As it is, it's an interesting mixture of fact and fiction that a reader can take or leave.

Why would anyone want to read a collection of political essays that deal as much with mescaline and football as they do with the democratic primary/presidential race they claim to be covering? A complete and healthy view of the times can’t be achieved when the author, on multiple occasions, sprinkles the truth with blatant lies and fabrications. Gonzo journalism is no way to cover an election, especially one as infamous as the 1972 stomp.
But beyond all reason, logic, and even common decency, Hunter S Thompson manages to use hyperbole and never ending tangents to give the reader a true feeling of what it’s like to be a journalist covering politics in America. His writing style is chaotic, with his essays rarely staying on the topic of politics alone. But as someone who was born long after these events had transpired, the background noise provides an anchor, some context for the political saga to unfold in. Thompson’s writing has the same cadence as a drunken man’s ranting, but with it also comes an inebriate’s honesty. He praises his foes and skewers his friends, with the hardest eye always turned toward himself.
I believe this book is one of the best introductions to politics available today. In an area where there is always an angle, the most you can hope for is someone who will tell you their bias up front, which is absolutely something HST does. The situations, plans, and reactions are just as applicable to current political affairs as they were 40 years ago. Even some of the same players, or at least their families (Romney), make appearances. If nothing else, it shows how important the ‘silent majority’ has remained in America, and how little its ambition has changed.
If you don’t enjoy drug use, profanity, and a cruel sense of humor, don’t waste your time. But if you can accept that all those things are a part of human nature, and thus a part of politics and journalism, you will find this book at the very least entertaining. Personally, it is one of those books that I find myself thinking about long after I put it down, and every time I see a politician on TV, I wish I could read Dr. Thompson’s take on his motivations. The work has aged well, and any informed, educated American owes it to themselves to read this book.

I'll admit it: lately, I've needed a lift. I couldn't read one more biography or piece of financial news. The seriousness of these writings was beginning to dampen my ever-moistening spirits to a low that I hadn't experienced in years; years spent in fear and loathing. I needed a pick-me-up and I knew exactly who to turn to. Hunter S. Thompson, maverick journalist and counter-culture icon, has a knack for making me laugh at things that would normally make me cringe. In 1973, he published Campaign '72, which is an account of the 1972 United States presidential campaign. The book's disjointed narrative mainly deals with the democratic primary and the ill-fated campaign of its winner, George McGovern. I went into this book blind. I expected the sterotypical Thompson fare: a comic farce centered around Thompson's booze and drug-addled insanity. Those looking for the same will not be pleased. For all of its craziness (and it has its fair share) Campaign '72 is a straight-faced political relic from the early 1970's. The most surprising thing about the book is Thompson's love for his subject: politics. Being unfamiliar with Thompson, aside from his most famous book, I expected him to reserve this sort of enthusiasm for drugs, music, and sports. Make no mistake, Campaign '72 is a true labor of love, which is why it succeeds. The same material in a lesser, more conventional writer's hands would have the same effect as a prescription sleeping aid. With Hunter S. Thompson's writing style, even the most dry of topics is injected with the literary equivalent of a gallon of adrenochrome.

Hunter S. Thompson became a self-described political junkie from his days on the 1972 Presidential campaign trail. Unabashedly throwing his support behind Democratic candidate George McGovern, Dr. Thompson takes on a dizzying journey from hotel room to hotel room across the country lauding his man McGovern and railing against his enemy Richard Nixon. The book provides as much detail about Mr. Thompson's activities as they do the campaigns themselves, but hell, Dr. Thompson is alot more interesting. One of the most poignant moments is when Dr. Thompson rides in a limo with his enemy Nixon and they discuss football, which is a passion of both men. Dr. Thompson actually sees some humanity in Nixon and breaks down the facade that Nixon and most politicians erect. He shows a human side to a man who is often looked upon as inhuman. Dr. Thompson still despises him and his views, but by peeling away a layer, he can expose things that lay beneath the surface. For people like myself who were too young to experience this campaign and the times, Fear & Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72 is a brilliant and amazing ride through the times.

A great behind the scenes view of journalists covering presidential elections- from the New Hampshire primary circut of handsaking factory workers on snowy March mornings to the make or break primary of California to the Miami streets filled with stoned protesters and Vietnam vets at the Republican convention.
This book is worth reading for anyone who suspected that candidates put their shoes on one at time like the rest of us, or else need an aide to tie them. Hunter is at his vitrolic best taking on Humphrey, Muskie, AFL-CIO and Richard Nixon. Those parts are well worth the price of admission.
I found the reading a little slow and meandering in the first third, better focused and spirited in the middle and downright fascinating at the end with Nixon (ugly and dark) and McGovern (inept campaigner) showing all sides for Hunter to tell us about with out pulling a punch. Thank you Hunter.

On C-Span's "In Depth" program, Brian Lamb interviewed Richard Norton Smith and Douglas Brinkley. Richard Norton Smith is probably the most notable living historian specializing on the American Presidency, having had a part in many of the presidential libraries and so forth. Douglas Brinkley is widely regarded as the most prominent living American historian.

Smith cited this book as the best work ever written about the U.S. Elections process, and Brinkley concurred. For those of you who know Smith and Brinkley by reputation, that says far more than anything I could write here. It's not only some of the best political writing of all time, it's some of HST's best work, too. Fantastic.

'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72' is a fantastic journey through a spectacle which grips the U.S. every four years. It is a journey which in the hands of other authors would be thoroughly boring. But Hunter S. Thompson (HST) succeeds in combining great intelligence and insightful commentary with shocking hilarity and the result is a great book.

'Campaign Trail '72' doesn't have the same constant flow of wacky, laugh-out-loud humour and outrageous anecdotes as some of HST's other works, but then HST wrote this book as part of a year-long assignment to cover the Presidential campaign, not a week-long bender at the Kentucky Derby. In some respects, the length of time over which Thompson was reporting helps reveal a more 'everyday' side to an author who at other times appears to lead a wholly surreal lifestyle. Even the Doctor of Gonzo has down-time and boring days.

HST undoubtedly achieves what he set out to do in December '71. He gives his readers an insider's account of what it's like to cover a Presidential campaign. He reveals some of the underhand and downright corrupt tactics of the candidates and their entourages, the fickle nature of the electorate's support, the decisive role of the media in an election, and the importance of 'perception'. Thompson reports in a way that no one else is capable of reporting. He goes with gut instinct and from page 1 refuses to write from within the journalistic confines of objectivity. He openly supports Democratic candidate George McGovern, and sees Richard Nixon as a great threat to the U.S.A. and the rest of the world. Indeed, on a few occasions, he openly likens Nixon to Hitler; something which no other journalist would dare write, no matter how strongly they felt it.

Rick Steadman's sketches provide another interesting angle on the campaign and complement HST's writing excellently. The author also offers up a few timeless maxims on the nature of politics, which will strike a chord with anyone who lives in a Western 'Democracy'. In all, despite the fact that some of the detail in this book may seem mundane and dated to a present-day reader, most of HST's writing is timeless and one gets an overall sense that U.S. politics don't appear to have changed much since '72. Post-election, Thompson considers running for the office of Senator in Colorado; after reading this book, he certainly would have had my vote.

I first read '72 back when I broke my political cherry in 1984. It was my first presidential election, and an older, wiser and weirder friend passed a well worn copy to me in early October.
Since then I pick this thing up at least every 4 years as reverently as a christian picks up the bible, because, in a sense it is the bible of the American political system.
Going into the specifics of this book is useless (although the revelation of Muskie's Ibogaine additction remains priceless). Take the thing as a whole and you get thrown into the slime, deceit, hypocricy, lies, and treachery of political dealing. No one else has the stones to expose politics and politicians for what they are, and like the un-dead dwellers of a subterranean world, those scum go screaming for cover when the light hits them.
HST has written several other political books since '72, but none are nearly as comprehensive and accurate. Open the book and enter the den of vipers known as politics ... but remember to wear rubber boots to keep the( ) off your shoes.

Whether you agree or disagree with Thompson's politics you have to praise his candor and determination to cut through the nonsense, as well as marvel at some of the funniest writing anywhere. William Buckley once said you should admire Thompson the way you would admire a streaker at Queen Victoria's funeral. The good Doktor is not intimidated by power or cant: the famous "Ibogaine" hoax about Big Ed Muskie, the Democrat front-runner, was one of the great moments of the '72 election. And his rants against Humphrey were, in the end, far more accurate about that big-government, statist figure than a more "balanced" judgement would have been. The bottom line: Thompson is king-hell for FREEDOM. He's in the wrong party and doesn't even know it.

Journalist Hunter M. Thompson applies his gonzo style to the 1972 Presidential campaign, and makes us feel as if alongside the contenders as they move from rallies, to bus rides, to hotel rooms. The book focuses heavily on the Democratic primary campaign of Senator George McGovern, as he battled Hubert Humphrey, Ed Muskie, and several others for the Party's nomination. I enjoyed the author's fast-moving style and didn't mind his pro-McGovern bias, but saw no reason for his relentless slurs against Humprhey as a shameless phony - charges he never substantiates. McGovern won the nomination, but Thompson fails to see how the man's too-liberal positions and questionable competence (i.e. The Eagleton affair) doomed his chances. The author describes incumbent President Richard Nixon as devious and dangerous, but also sees him as rather human. Nixon wouldn't speak to Thompson, except for one brief interview granted on the condition that they only discuss one subject - football. It actually made interesting reading. This is a lively book, even if Thompson's kindly but bumbling candidate lost to the devious but skilled Nixon by a 61-38% landslide.

Many progressives loved Thompson's anti-establishment writing and didn't mind his lack of objectivity. Whatever your view, this book has a lively informative style that makes for fun, informative reading.

Thompson, who was the only member of the 1972 campaign press corps to refer to Nixon as ``the Dingbat'' at all times, is a master of capturing the weirdness, the facts, and the hilarious anecdotes of that fateful election.
He sheds all pretenses of objective journalism, preferring to call things as he sees them, albeit through a haze of mescaline and bloody marys. The result is a fine, fine book that tells us more about the candidates and more about the politics of 1972 than any other available.
Probably as a result of substance abuse, Thompson seems incapable of writing in any but the most charged and manic way, which is a refreshing change from the egghead drear that characterizes so much bad political writing.

Hunter Thompson HATED Richard Nixon with all of his capacity to loathe. Nixon represented to him everything that was wrong with America. So for Thompson to have been covering Tricky Dick during the fateful events that ensured his downfall is a delicous irony indeed. This book is akin to Thompson's "Hell's Angels" in that he is reporting about real events, albiet through his own warped perception. The book is a reminder that once upon a time, Thompson was a very capable reporter, before he turned his mind into mush and became a caricature of himself. Politics junkies will find this book to be great comic relief.

When Thompson started this trip, he was out for revenge, by the end of it he is a self confessed political junky. The book follows the 1972 presidential election and the great hope that was George McGovern. Thompson here is at his most optimistic; he finally has something to believe in. His deconstructions of Wallace, Humphry and Nixon are calculating and precise. His descriptions of the "wizards" who manipulate the press and mold the candidates are facinating. Thompson reveals himself as a political journalist like no other: opinionated, articulate and honest. The honesty cannot be stressed enough, he is able to admit when McGovern stumbles, when Wallace gives a good speech and when Nixon ultimately triumphs.
The only complaint is that the fantastic sketches by Ralph Steadman are not well preserved in this book. It begs to be reprinted on larger, superior paper.
Thompson gives us a look at the political machine that we might otherwise never see; as and it's as revelant now as it was 30 years ago.

For me this is Hunter's masterpiece - Its what crystallises all of his skill and insights as a writer. Fear and Loathing is an excellent book but its also a head trip which gives first time readers the wrong impression of Thomphson but its Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail that will show you the real Hunter in all his savage intelligence and wry observational skill - its a tour de force which shows so often the sharp mind behind the stories of drugs and debauchery - if you've only read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas then you don't know Hunter at all - this is a good starting point.

Its a picture of an America which has torn itself to pieces - the 1972 elections were a watershed in American politics, the death of Bobby Kennedy at the hands of Sirhan Sirhan in 1968 tore the heart of out the Democratic faithfull and was the major hinge of a series of events that led to the election of Richard Nixon in 68 when a country burned out on the divisive LBJ presidency voted Republican. The failure of the Democratic party to present a strong candidate in '68 led to the McGovern collapse in '72 as the party tore itself to pieces internally, consumed in infighting and political infighting that left it weakened and damaged.

Thompson's insights into the system go beyond mer reportage, he has an ability to get inside the process and lay it bare and clear and at the same time present a picture of the US on the eve of a recession and worn out from a long and divisive war. Oh and somebody mentioned how Hunter seemed unfair on Humphrey in the book - On the contrary he more than explains his reasons why he dislikes the candidate and some reading on Humphrey and history would enlighten - for one thing he won the Presidential Nomination in '68 without winning a single primary - Thompson and other democrats were quite justified in seeing him as the a political hack controlled by the likes of Chicago's power broker Mayor Daley.

Seriously. Read it. Distilled Hunter in so many ways and if youre expecting some sort of balance then youre in the wrong place - Hunter is here as always un comprimising - bitching about bias is missing the point - he never sets out to be balanced.

Does history repeat its self? All I can say is that Hunter wrote this book coming out of the liberal 60's which rounded out in a big bummer with Richard Nixon winning. The election in'72 was in a sense for all the marbles as it was a pivotal point to see if the country was going to be able to retain it's liberal ideals carved out by all of the revolutionary politics or if it would swing towards what the time was a radically conservative approach offered by Nixon. In this book Hunter follows the democratic party on the campaign trail and shows how their efforts unravel and ends up in a big victory for Nixon. If you want to read a campaign book that draws an innumerable amount of parralles between what's at stake for this up-coming election and what was at stake in '72 I highly recommend this one. Hunter delivers again with hard hitting style and bite.

This is the type of book that is going to appeal very much to certain people and maybe not so much to others. If you're a fan of Hunter S. Thompson, you probably already know on which side of the fence you are. Any fan of his will very likely enjoy the book, though probably not as much as his other books unless you're really into politics. The vast majority of the book follows the Democratic primary. It's particularly captivating, because it's written in the quintessential Gonzo fashion of being very subjective, and not as someone just writing about what they see in the news but somewhat actually as an insider with close access to some of the candidates. And (to me) the icing to the cake is probably how in the course of recent American history, this was probably the perfect campaign for someone like him to write about.

I've long considered Thompson an addled, overrated buffoon, all sound and fury, signifying nothing. But this book has prompted a reconsideration. The prose is lucid and energetic, and the world it depicts fascinates. Even those who don't share Hunter's views - or find the Dr. "Jesus Creeping S__t!" Gonzo persona wears thin after a while, can still appreciate the hard cold light he shines on the daily life of a political campaign, the human drama of winning losing, punching, pulling punches, and grinding out the votes. It's worth the read, and unlike a lot of books about politics, worth the reread.

This book offers a fresh inside look at what really goes on behind the scenes of a presidential campaign. Follow Hunter S. Thompson while he absorbs himself into the story leading up to the 1972 presidential election.

I recommend this book for anyone who has the slightest incling of what politics are and how they work. I also suggest you brace yourself for what you will encounter in this book. Filled with tangled webs of deception and corrupt politicians, this composition startles the reader into understanding the true policies of what it takes to be president and trust me, its not as it seems.

Despite the fact that this drug-addled, stream of conscienceness sheds light to the lowest, dirtiest and most raw side of politics it will truly open your eyes to the fact that it has always been done this way, even from the very beginning. Nevertheless, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail will leave you wanting more and hating Richard Milhouse Nixon with a firey passion that you will come to love as the book wears on.

For all his gonzo journalism, Thompson has a very keen eye for politics, even if he backed McGovern in '72. This is a very engaging and very insightful study of the McGovern campaign and how, in Thompson's mind, it was the only hope in the miasma of politics at the time. He is unsparing on McGovern's opponents, particularly Humphrey, but saved his scorn for Nixon, whom the Democrats were desperately hoping to unseat. One of the most memorable scenes in the book (whether real or imagined) is when Thompson was called up to talk sports with the President himself on Air Force One. For a moment, Thompson puts down his guard, to engage in Nixon's favorite pastime, football. What you get is a heady mix of politics and humor as only the Grandmaster of Gonzo Journalism can give. The book remains unsurpassed in its candid view of a presidential political campaign.

Nobody can make a Presidential election sound like a fun trip...except for the late great Hunter S. Thompson. The legendary "gonzo" journalist hits the campaign trail during Nixon's Presidential bid in 1972. If you loved F&L in Las Vegas and Rum Diaries, definitely you'll want to read this

Hunter S. Thompson was the original Wild and Crazy guy (apologies to Steve Martin). Attached to reformist "candidate of the people" and peacenik presidential long-shot George McGovern at the launch of the 1972 primary season. A series of foibles, misadventures, and lucky breaks (with HST actually involved, not just standing on the sidelines) help derail front-runner "Big Ed" Muskie. The acid flashback-prone journalist even starts to believe the good, decent Senator from South Dakota might spoil Richard M. Nixon's plans for "Four More Years"...
The "rules" of journalism are thrown out by HST. Refreshingly, he wears his personal biases for the three A's (Amnesty for Conscientious Objectors, Abortion, and Acid) and populist reform of American politics like a big, frightening yellow badge. He dredges up the truth, no matter how disgusting it is, and rubs your nose in it.

Although not as thrilling as Hell's Angels and not as profound as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, F+L: on the campaign trail '72 does offer a brilliant analysis of the frenzied, unpredictable nature of American politics. With the McGovern/Nixon presidential race as its focus, this book gives the reader an insider's unflinching view of a year out with the candidates as they crisscrossed the USA. Unfortunately, Thompson takes some of the transcribed dialogue sections a bit too far and the inclusion of many irrelevant details was not necessary. The book should have been properly edited and cut down by about 100-150 pages. But having said that, the word for word transcription of an interview with George McGovern near the end of the book is priceless! What insight! The last 20 pages or so - the "Editor's conversation" - is also very good. If any foreigners want an understanding of the American campaign process, THIS IS THE BOOK TO READ. From no one but Thompson will you get such a realistic account. Gonzo journalism at its twisted peak, perhaps. Excessive at times, but worth the time and effort. Thompson's writing is more penetrating and entertaining than that of any tradional political journalist, period. Hell, you've got to give this guy credit. He's an original! The "football conversation" with Richard Nixon in New Hampshire and the "Sheridan"/Jerry Rubin incident on Muskie's Florida train are both hilarious!

In one of the most bizarre jouralism styles to date (gonzo) Dr. Hunter S. Thompson dismantles the 1972 presidential campain. He expopses Hubert H. Humphrey, "Big" Ed Muskie, and Richard "Tricky Dick" Nixon as the evil spawns of satan that they are. And in one of the most ironic tales i've ever heard, Thompson accompaines a longshot presidential canidate, Richard Nixon for a car ride during the 1968 election. During the ride Thompson and Nixon wax intellectual on the current state of pro football. Only to later become bitter enemys. And even 25 after it was written, this book is still as fresh as the day it came of the presses. A must read for any "American"

This book's setting is eerily similar to the current state of affairs going on in with the 2008 Presidential Election, with the Democrats picking themselves apart while the Republicans sit back and enjoy the show. Richard Nixon is shown as the abomination that he was and HST's writing is as animated and humorous as I have ever seen it. This book surpassed my expectations and was a surprisingly fast read at 496 pages. I was left begging for more political insight and HST wit. A must read for any HST fan or anyone interested in the inner workings ( mostly the dark side) of politics. A great book that shows that HST was and is probably better than his already sizable legend permits.

An absolute classic.
Though FEAR & LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS is the better known Thompson book--due in large part to the marketing for the gawd-awful Johnny Depp film of the same name--FEAR & LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72 is far and away the best book Thompson ever wrote.
A heady mix of drug-addled meandering and backroom politics, FEAR & LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72 is the closest look most of us will ever get at two of the strangest existences available to 20th century Americans: hardcore politics and hardcore drug abuse.

The most interesting and insightful memoir about a political campaign I've ever read. It very much captures the spirit of the time, place and people, as I remember them. His narrative regarding the opening tactics of the McGovern campaign in managing the delegation challenges at the Democratic convention is worth the whole price of the book, ten times over.

This book pretty much got me through a degree in Poly Sci. Written while Thompson was still at the top of his game, Hunter reveals all in a slash and burn book about what goes on during a presidential campaign.

For those who haven't done a Thompson book, the concept is simple: strap on a .357, get a head full of really dangerous chemicals, and GET THE STORY; even if you have to create it yourself along the way. While this might seem a bizarre way to conduct journalism, it produces brilliant insights into whatever he chooses to study at the time.

Hunter is so weird and stoned that he isn't a member of society anymore and has no givens. Everything he sees must be tested with the eyes and mind of the outsider because that is what his chemically distorted perceptions make him.

And it also makes him one of the funniest modern writers to ever put pen to paper.

I'll keep this short: This is the best book I've read by HST: No/very little illegal drugs (that is just a fact, not directly related to this being a very good book by HST), penetrating and highly subjective analysis of a political campaign/circus. Brilliant writing.

THIS BOOK IS JUST THE RAMBLINGS OF AN AUTHOR WHO SPENDS MOST OF THE TIME IMPAIRED, AND IS PROUD OF IT. YOU FEEL AS IF YOU WERE IN A BAR STUCK NEXT TO A DRUNK MUMBLING NON STOP WHILE YOU LOOK FOR A SPOT ANYWHERE ELSE TO WAIT FOR YOUR DINNER TABLE.

True to Hunter, this book takes a scynical look at American Politics in the early '70's. With Nixon and company in office, who could be objective.
The book was a bit more eclectic than what I enjoy at times, but that's HST for you. For anyone who's read other works by Hunter, this is a must. Yet I wouldn't suggest it as your first HST experience.

I just finished reading this book, and loved it. Thompson has a unique perspective on things -- cynical and hopeful at the same time. The amazing thing, as others have commented, is how similar the issues, debates, rhetoric, and tactics of the 1972 campaign are to both the 2008 campaign and the current debate on health care reform. Anyone who likes Thompson's writing style, is interested in American cultural history, and curious about how we, as a nation, have been arguing about the same things and in the same way since at least 1972 will enjoy this book.

As I write this review, a dozen and a half presidential candidates are revved up to fly around the US, spending (all told) billions of dollars of Other People's Money, talking out of several sides of their mouth, slinging more mud than a construction crew, and falling over each other to get into the TV and newspaper spotlight.

It is astounding how much this book, written 35 years ago, can teach us about what is going on today. I have vowed to read this book again in 4-5 years.

Hunter Thompson would despise me. I am a conservative Reaganite. I thought Dick Nixon a brilliant President. I think the Lord Jesus Christ saves my soul. Whereas I despise Michael Moore and do not think he speaks the truth, I admire Hunter Thompson, who is probably a lot closer to Moore's politics than mine. It is not just the passage of time that heals divisions, it is more than that. If I were to analyze Hunter's political nostrums, I would probably find much that I know to be wrong, and that Hunter had enough education and knowledge available to him to know it was wrong but he wrote it anyway. Still, whatever visceral reaction I have to Moore I do not have for Hunter.
I guess humnor must be why. Hunter is absolutely inconoclastic. He is side-splitting. He never smiles, and his writing has no funniness in it. I picture him writing out of dread and hate, yet it magically transforms itself into laughs when my eyes meet his words and transfer to my brain. Forgive my bad attempt to get into his head and "explain" Hunter. It's all I can do to try.
This book is phenomenal. It contains events that are different from any descriptions ever. Others have novelized reality, but nobody splits the difference like Hunter. Hunter's supposed on-scene reportage of Edmund Muskie coming unglued in the New Hampshire snow, Frank Mankiewiczs' furious (drug induced?) ramblings, the one-on-one with Nixon himelf, leaves the reader exhausted in an effort to separate reality from fantasy. Hunter is like the great con man who uses Truth to augment his lies. This is not calling Hunter a liar, it is just an example. The fact that I don't see this as lies is telling, and separates Hunter and his times from the current political climate, in which his spawn, if you will, the likes of Moore and Al Franken, try to make Hunteresque points but leave themselves exposed as obfuscators instead. The answer is that Thompson is just so much better than almost all other writers that he cannot be duplicated or even imitated. To try is pointless. Many, inclduing myself, have tried to be the "next Jim Murray," but like Murray nobody can be Hunter, either.
STEVEN TRAVERS(...)

There are very few books about political campaigns that show passion - for the manic process, for the evil media handicapping that occurs, and ultimately for a candidate that the writer believes in. This book grabs you by the throat and throttles you, screaming "this F'ing matters!!!" The best book on American politics since Tocqueville.

I just want to say that this book by HST is the best by far! I am 18 years old and I was never into politics. HST got me into it. He makes this book so interesting because he is real! He pauses and talks about his crazy adventures with drugs and what not. He's an amazing author! I really think people should read this book. If not, read any one of his great books. You won't be dissapointed.

I've read Fear and Loating in Las Vegas mayby three times and it is an amazing book. On the campaigntrail '72 HST tries to write a book that has the same driven crazy tempo and contains the same unbelieveable events. But he doesn't suceed. First, it is too long and he takes the smallest event and tries to turn it in to something insane but it feels constructed and thin. But if you read the book as an example of altarnative political journalism it has some good patrs. HST is one of the most exprimantal and avant-garde journalists i've ever read but he seems to have lost it in this book.

This is easily Hunter's best work; here he is insightful and surprisingly personal.

Reading this in the run up to the 2012 election made me realize how much of his observations on '72 ring just as true today.

Someone should tell Simon & Schuster that in his introduction to this latest edition of "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72," Matt Taibbi fails to correct the mistake made by Austin Ruse of the National Review in quoting a Hunter Thompson aphorism. Thompson famously said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." But Ruse, in a column soon after Thompson died in 2005 that Taibbi cites, botched that by writing, "When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro." The latter, incorrect version doesn't even make sense, so his repeating it makes you wonder how closely Taibbi has read Thompson.

This book is so interesting. It was really detailed which made it nearly impossible to stop reading. I like how weird and satirical this book was. It would be good to see the movie after reading this book. would make it awesome. its a trip.

Fear and Loathing is just NOT fear and loathing when it takes a tedious and disappointing turn into polotics and other extremely uninteresting matters. Hunter, what's up man? Get back to the drug-induced random ravings and rantings. My advice is to stick with the orginal Vegas Loathing, this just doesn't compare.