Together for McGovern
The album Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits was released literally on the same day as the benefit by Columbia Records to capitalize on the publicity.
[5] McGovern was not significantly helped by the concert; after winning the Democratic Party nomination in July, he was soundly defeated in November by incumbent President Richard Nixon.
[7] On the night of the concert in New York, McGovern's goal was to raise more money and broaden his support, so that he could win more delegates at the Democratic National Convention one month later.
Celebrities serving as ushers included Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, Ryan O'Neal, Ben Gazzara, Candice Bergen, Judy Collins, Stacy Keach, James Earl Jones, George Plimpton, Cass Elliot, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Julie Christie and Shirley MacLaine.
"[1] Peter, Paul and Mary performed next, talking about politics and singing songs including "Blowin' in the Wind" and "When the Ship Comes In" by Bob Dylan, and "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver.
The suggested track was a spoken word collage on the album Bookends, featuring multiple recordings Garfunkel had made on the street, letting elderly people speak their minds.
"[1] Following the concert, Beatty hosted a late dinner party at the nearby Four Seasons Restaurant, with A-list stars and political contributors invited.
[1] A few days after the concert, New York voters went to the polls to decide a number of issues including the Democratic Party nominee for president.
McGovern was predicted the clear winner, with Hubert Humphrey polling poorly, and Shirley Chisholm still holding some delegates.
[11] Paul Simon said that Chisholm's campaign, promoting women and Blacks, was significant: "It's important that she maintain her candidacy up until the very last minute.
[7] Warren Beatty's sister, Shirley MacLaine, co-produced another event for McGovern in October at Madison Square Garden, called Star-Spangled Women for McGovern–Shriver.
With co-producer Sid Bernstein, she brought more than a dozen women singers together for a concert, and continued the theme of having celebrity ushers.
