Not a whole lot (at least yet), except for the contentious atmosphere. (Reply #17)

The Velveteen Ocelot

(130,807 posts)

17. Not a whole lot (at least yet), except for the contentious atmosphere.

Fri Mar 11, 2016, 09:22 PM

Mar 2016

In 1968 the big issue was the Vietnam War. There had been a lot of protests, mostly on campuses, and some had become violent. The Democratic party was even more divided then than it is now - LBJ announced he wouldn't run again; Gene McCarthy became popular with the antiwar movement; Robert Kennedy had more support among African-Americans. In June of 1968 RFK was assassinated, leaving his delegates up for grabs. LBJ's vice-president, Hubert Humphrey, was the "establishment" candidate, supported by the party PTB. Even though he hadn't run in any primary election (things were done much differently then), Humphrey won the nomination at the convention and all hell broke loose. I remember watching the chaos on TV - Chicago cops, directed by Mayor Richard Daley, were beating the crap out of antiwar protestors and tear-gassing them outside the convention. I also remember how security (or cops?) inside the convention roughed up Dan Rather and some other big-name reporters and threw them out of the convention. Daley's cops were really out of control.

I don't think we will see something like that again, at least I hope not.

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A question for the oldsters. [View all] Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 OP

Yes indeed and it is hitting me in a visceral way. JFKDem62 Mar 2016 #1

I agree..... daleanime Mar 2016 #26

It was a very scary and sad decade. JFKDem62 Mar 2016 #28

Ditto ... I am relieving my feelings as a 12year old in 1968 Greywing Mar 2016 #50

YES I have the same sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. JFKDem62 Mar 2016 #54

I had very similar rage during the Nixon Cluster Fuck BigDemVoter Mar 2016 #64

No. I was a kid then but that was hard core violence and disruption inside the convention itself flamingdem Mar 2016 #2

LOL. My first thought watching this Chicago Trump riot was Chicago Dem convention 1968. crazylikafox Mar 2016 #3

Oh yea and it will get worse. leftofcool Mar 2016 #4

If my memories are anywhere near accurate, I think 1968 was uglier. CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2016 #5

I remember watching on TV, and it was awful. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #9

It's pretty hazy for me. CaliforniaPeggy Mar 2016 #14

I was only 9 in 1968 StandingInLeftField Mar 2016 #6

My Dad was at the 1968 Democratic convention. I remember my Mom and I watching the news and livetohike Mar 2016 #7

+ a billion leftofcool Mar 2016 #11

you bet CanisCrocinus Mar 2016 #8

I watched 1968 in TV. That was the convention. oldandhappy Mar 2016 #10

Detroit had already had a riot in 1967 and k8conant Mar 2016 #20

wow understand! oldandhappy Mar 2016 #21

You sound like my uncle. ScreamingMeemie Mar 2016 #43

I don't remember -any- candidate saying it was ok to hit protestors at rallies. HereSince1628 Mar 2016 #12

George Wallace stated his own intent to run over long haired protestors with his limo in 1968 nt PufPuf23 Mar 2016 #36

Ok, I didn't remember that, but I remember Wallace was confronted with protestors HereSince1628 Mar 2016 #38

I went to a George Wallace rally at the Cow Palace just south of San Francisco in 1968 PufPuf23 Mar 2016 #44

I remember it MuseRider Mar 2016 #13

Yes the corporate media has produced this marions ghost Mar 2016 #22

Very true. MuseRider Mar 2016 #29

The distinctive checkerboard bands on Chicago PD hats jumped off the TV at me. Stinky The Clown Mar 2016 #15

I keep hoping this isn't as bad as 1968... k8conant Mar 2016 #16

Not a whole lot (at least yet), except for the contentious atmosphere. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2016 #17

I hope not, too. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #23

And Grant Park. pangaia Mar 2016 #35

It is only March. malthaussen Mar 2016 #18

I am not an oldster nadinbrzezinski Mar 2016 #19

Not even close - Holly_Hobby Mar 2016 #24

True, but Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #25

Agreed, let's hope for a peaceful ending n/t Holly_Hobby Mar 2016 #27

Nothing like 1968. Far from it unc70 Mar 2016 #30

One big difference... Wounded Bear Mar 2016 #31

Yes, I agree with that. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #32

Video of LBJ ad against Goldwater... Controversial convention reference. AnotherVoter Mar 2016 #33

I was a senior in high school in 1964. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #39

My timeline began... deathrind Mar 2016 #34

I like what I see with the Dems, not like 68. longship Mar 2016 #37

Yes, Mussolini much more than Hitler, I think. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #40

I've noticed that... Wounded Bear Mar 2016 #42

I lived 2 blocks from the International Amphitheater xloadiex Mar 2016 #41

No. The 68 campaign season saw the MURDER of two prominent progressives madinmaryland Mar 2016 #45

I wasn't thinking specifically of the Democrats, Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #48

The same old play. Octafish Mar 2016 #46

I was only 8 but remember seeing the violence on the tv news. Dont call me Shirley Mar 2016 #47

Absolutely. Here on DU today there was a video call The jwirr Mar 2016 #49

The protests back then did not serve the left well IMO The empressof all Mar 2016 #51

Read the Moveon statement, it had to be done and it is our duty flamingdem Mar 2016 #52

But don't you think that people realize Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #53

No.... The empressof all Mar 2016 #55

Some similarities (rising tension and tempers), but also vast differences-- JohnnyLib2 Mar 2016 #56

Anybody read "The Drifters" by James Michner? Cleita Mar 2016 #57

I'm still trying to finish Michener's "Alaska." Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #59

I get you. He really writes encyclopedic tomes. Cleita Mar 2016 #62

As an oldster, I can tell you that this is frightening to me. I remember the sixties well Tess49 Mar 2016 #58

Yes liberal N proud Mar 2016 #60

Except for Wallace. Blue_In_AK Mar 2016 #61

I may have blocked him out liberal N proud Mar 2016 #63

There was a lot of violence in 1968 and LiberalElite Mar 2016 #65

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