[Historical note: This web-based Anti-McGovern propaganda was effective during the period the campus was upset against the defendents of the Grapski libel trial: McGovern, Vlcek, & to a lesser extent, Blue Key.  The greatest outrage was directed towards McGovern, whose 8-vote majority in the 1998 Election was evidence of his shaky support even within his own "system".  McGovern was able to hold his hardly-won presidency through appeasement and delaying tactics, and his surprising hard and effective work as President helped lessen the pressure.  McGovern actually appointed a very diverse cabinet and University Committeemen--including the creator of this very webpage!  By 'diverse' we mean opinion, that is, not all personal supporters of his, even enemies were given positions they were qualified for).  The "Johnny Lucky Landslide" refers to McGovern's history of barely winning elections.  McGovern was appointed to a series of senate seats while becoming Senate President in 1996, eventually standing for election in Fall '97 and avoiding defeat by the new Vision party by a mere 8 votes--the Alligator headlined with "McGovern actually elected by real students" (or similar).  The 8 vote margin would reappear as his thin majority in the Spring 98 presidential election, and various sources claim that a recount without counting a write-in ballot gave McGovern a 1st ballot victory by only 3 votes.]

John "Johnny Lucky Landslide" T. McGovern's
most notable political achievements
(and all-around dedicated service to his constituents and the University)
Unfortunately inversed SG logo
Then Student Body President-elect John McGovern in court as a 
losing defendant in the defamation civil suit against him 
Grapski v. Florida Blue Key, McGovern, Vlcek





   "Senate President John McGovern was not immune to the unprofessionalism shown by many of our elected officials. At approximately 8:35 p.m., he began to look as if he would actually keel over from boredom.  At 8:36 p.m., the yawning commenced, as did the whispering. Then he began to pass notes."
 

-Brandi Kleinart, Alligator Opinions Columnist, 
admiring Johnny in her "I have a problem with senate" 
column, printed on 8 October '97, the first day of fall elections.

 

*  During the Summer 1995 Senate session, appointed and unelected senator Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern was written up for non-attendance of his area government meetings mandated as part of his constituency requirements. 

*  During the Fall Senate Session of 1995 Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern was unceremoniously removed from his college council. That same year he was primarily responsible for removing funding from the Florida Players, a group as deserving as any on campus. 

*  Over the last year, Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern has tried to take away on-campus housing seats and tried to cripple the Board of College Councils. 

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern has refused to remove senators who do not meet their job requirements (as long as they vote his party's line--if not, then he has less patience).

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern was elected as the treasurer for the Student Honor Organization, and immediately after being elected to that important position, neither participated in nor attended a single meeting of the organisation again.

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern tried to move back the spring '98 elections from the traditional and lawful March date to February, just so he could avoid consequences from the successful suit of defamation against him. 

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern has defamed his opposition openly in the past, calling longtime opposition activist Charles Grapski a "child molester", though Mr. Grapski's personal conduct has been beyond reproach.  Mr. McGovern, along with his old patron, UF Alumnus Peter Vlcek, was found liable for defamation of character and conspiracy to commit defamation of character; damages that Vlcek & McGovern must both pay amount to $250,000. 

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern, in the spring of '98, won his Student Body Presidential Election by a minority of ballots cast, and a suspicious 8-vote margin at that.

*  Johnny 'Lucky Landslide' McGovern, moved fall '98 election dates forward to avoid publicity of the Grapski vs. Vlcek trial, and to eliminate any challenging party's ability to organise a campaign is such a short period of time.

"Do YOU want this criminal as your
Student Body President?"
-What John McGovern and Florida Blue Key Kingpin
Peter Vlcek allegedly published about Presidential
candidate Charles Grapski during the spring '95 election.
Sounds rather ironic right now, doesn't it?

    "It seems that this senator had failed to attend half of his constituency council meetings without attempting to even contact the council. A concerned member of that council notified the Student Senate of the council's dissatisfaction and desire for rectification. A hearing was scheduled, the senator protested the ridiculousness of the situation, the council's representative presented the council's grievances, and the committee deliberated about the correct course of action.

    "Sound familiar? It should. After all, it involves one of your favorite student senators: John McGovern."
 

-Steve Morgan
Student Senator, College of Engineering
Spoken at the Senate Meeting of November 15, 1995
  "Politics is sometimes more petty than pretty these days, and this year's Student Government election was not free from the tactless tactics of the times. 

     "So, we issue a play fair or don't play at all DART to whoever complied and circulated the arrest record of a certain candidate of SG president, but did not affix their name to it.  Providing information about the individuals running for political office is one thing, but the cowardice that would lead a person to not take responsibility for the claims they make is despicable and unwelcome in our eyes.  And don't think we don't notice these things."
 

 -The Independent Florida Alligator, 24 march 1995

   "All government officials have a responsibility to perform their duties appropriately and be accountable to others, for without accountability, government will not be responsible to the needs of the people." 
 

--K E V I N   M A Y E A U X, in a letter "Impeachment bill
necessary, claims senate president", published in the
Florida Independent Alligator spring 1995

"I always voted at my party's call
and I never thought of thinking for myself at all;
I thought so little, they rewarded me,
by making me the ruler of the Queen's Navy."

from the operetta HMS Pinafore
by Gilbert & Sullivan

    "By casting your vote on March 24 and 25 for the Action Party, you will be voting for continuing a tradition of excellence founded on experience and driven by a vision for change." 
 

--J O H N   M c G O V E R N
20 February 1998


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