It had been Mr. Mankiewicz who, from the hospital in Los Angeles, told the world that Robert Kennedy was dead; it was Mr. Mankiewicz now who was generally credited with getting George McGovern the Democratic nomination. This free-swinging exchange goes from polls to primaries to economics to defense. WFB: "I agree with you, and I think as Mr. McGovern turns away from the surrealism of his position over the last year and a half, he will increase his vote. It's true that there are certain people who are going to be disillusioned with him. The Platonists, who were attracted to him because they thought of him as sort of a convulsive redistributionist, may feel that he is now playing with practical politicians." FM: "We never saw any of those placards- 'Convulsive Redistributionists for McGovern.' We never set up that committee."