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TOM COLLINS' "GEORGE MCGOVERN" LETTER
One of the most difficult writing assignments is the political fund-raising letter — particularly
when millions must be raised to support an unpopular candidate. As election results showed,
George McGovern turned out to be such a candidate. But Tom Collins' fund-raising letter for
George McGovern's presidential campaign is a classic.
The letter introduced many voters to George McGovern and set forth in powerful fashion why he
believed he deserved the Democratic party's nomination to run against Richard Nixon in 1972. It
also raised a substantial amount of money to promote his candidacy.
Although writers usually avoid using the pronoun "I" in direct mail letters, this letter is loaded
with Ts" — and appropriately so since the signer, himself, was "the product." But what really
distinguishes this letter are its short, pithy paragraphs. Consider the opening:
You are one of a number of people whose help I am asking in the
most important effort any American can ever undertake.
After mailing this letter to you, I will, on Monday, January 18,
declare to the Nation my candidacy for the office of President of the
United States.
In so doing, and in writing you to inform you of my decision, I am
deliberately breaking political precedent in several ways.
It is unprecedented for a presidential candidate to make a formal
declaration almost two full years before the next presidential term
begins.
It is unprecedented for such a declaration of intent to be made in a
letter to thousands of potential supporters across the country.
And it is unprecedented for the candidate himself to invite the many
thousands who respect his positions on the major issues to help
finance the organization of his campaign headquarters and staff.
But I am taking these unusual steps because these are unusual times.
I am making my intentions known now because the times call for the
greatest forthrightness and the clearest commitment.
The letter goes on for seven pages, with no paragraph longer than five lines and most only two or
three lines long. But each paragraph makes a strong point and leads into the next.
This great direct mail letter's heritage is a letter written 22 years earlier by Walter Weintz. In a
1972 speech at a Direct Mail/Marketing Association conference, he described this experience,
which laid the groundwork for most of today's political direct mail:
1 To the best of my knowledge, the Republicans started using direct mail on a scientific,
mass basis back in 1950. At that time, Senator Robert Taft was running for his
life for re-election.
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