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By MARY DURKIN On a recent Saturday night, members of the Bertrand fami ly of Riverdale got together to meet Marchelina Bertrand’s new husband and see slides of their California wedding. The home of Mr. and Mrs. George Bertrand, Marchelina’s grandparents, was typical of the homes on Tracy avenue: one of the brick bungalows with driveways slicing front lawns. Inside, the living room ap peared larger as it swept into the dining room where the rem nants of a buffet rested. The family gathered, chatting as many suburban families prob ably did that evening, perhaps about politics. But Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Bertrand, who came in from California and their family talked to a famous son-in-law Jon Voight, star of ‘“‘The Mid night Cowboy” and most re cently ‘‘Deliverance.”’ VOIGHT, WHO has traded his cowboy boots and ten gallon hat for campaign literature, is also promoting the campaign of Sen ator George McGovern, as he spoke to a STAR-TRIBUNE re porter about the man he com pared to a farmer. “George has the relaxation of a farmer,” he said, saying he would be the type of person Voight could borrow a plaw from—‘‘a real American.” After volunteering to be available to aid McGovern’s campaign, Voight said he has spoken at colleges and before union groups, promoting the candidacy of the South Dakota senator. He animatedly spoke of attending a Serbian picnic that weekend and a campaign ing canoe race. Swept along with the small but vigorous group of McGov ern volunteers, Voight said, ‘‘I don’t know what his chances are, but I want him elected.’’ He said 38 per cent of the McGov ern backers are also willing to work for the candidate com pared to the two per cent of those backing President Nixon. VOIGHT’S comments calling McGovern’s candidacy more of a “‘philosophy”’ than a platform, were reflected in his own descriptions of the Democratic candidate: ‘‘decent,’’ ‘‘honest,’’ ‘the really listens,’’ ‘‘he cares.’’ A favorite criticism of McGovern has been his lack of consistency in the campaign, as with the dropping of Tom Eagleton from the vice presi dential spot after voicing strong support for the Missouri sen ator. Voight sees such actions as consistent in philosophy though the misunderstanding comes as McGovern receives feedback from voters and alters his reac tions based on such informa tion. McGovern, he said, had to support Eagleton following the disclosures of his having re ceived psychological care. However, he later altered his stand responding to the nation wide reaction that such a thing ‘would overshadow the cam paign issues.”’ SUCH A philosophy, as Voight sees it, could be seen in trans ferring money now spent on the war to projects geared towards people. Voight cited a large govern mental agency McGovern pro poses to work for solving prob lems of the large cities—pollu tion, unemployment, cynic ism—that have grown as towns like 18th century Chicago sprawled out with incredible speed. On other issues, ‘‘McGovern doesn’t think bussing is terrific, but it’s necessary,”’ Voight res ponded to a question. With bet ter and balanced education, bussing would no longer be necessary, he added saying such an alternative as putting a moratorium on bussing ‘‘is at tacking just the symptoms and not the cause.”’ Unemployment today has be come profitable for some per sons who cash in on the welfare programs and McGovern’s set up on welfare, Voight explained as if the logic was irrefutable. PERSONS COULD collect as much with a welfare check as with a job, so many choose the check, he explained. Under McGovern’s plan, jobs would be provided and welfare would supplement any income up to a certain point guaranteed for all Americans to have coming in every payday. “This promotes dignity,’’ Voight said. ‘‘We’re all the same: if we are treated nicely, we will act nicely.” One hallmark of McGovern since his eleventh hour spur of a campaign in 1968 attacks the war, which Voight said contains “sadism”’ with the types of bombs used aiming at maiming and injuring rather than killing. He said as a result of the war, 4.5 million persons, have either been killed, maimed or been made refugees as a result. “IF THE people knew about this war, Nixon would be out tomorrow. The people wouldn't even wait until November,”’ Voight said referring to peace plans he feels have not been made public to the American people. Voight himself, can’t wait un til November and has been campaigning for the candidate of his choice for several months of ‘“‘tomorrows.”’ Even as he vi sits his family he squeezes poli tics between the family movie slides. John Voight, known to many as Ratso Rizzo’s buddy in “The Midnight Cowboy,” flirts with his grandmother, Mrs. George Bert rand of Riverdale. Along with a visit to the south suburbs to meet his wife’s family, Voight is campaigning for the election of George McGovern. Mr. and Mrs. George Bertrand, center, of Riverdale, hosted a party for their granddaughter, the former Marchelina Bertrand who grew up in the Riverdale area and her husband, movie star Jon Voight. Marchelina’s mother, Mrs. Rolland Bertrand of California, is at left.
Newspaper Details
Markham Star Tribune
Markham, Illinois, US
Sun, Oct 08, 1972
Page 97
Full Page
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USA 19 Apr 2026
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