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Chapter 5: A Tale of Two Conventions
Chapter 5: A Tale of Two Conventions (Democrats)
The Democrats were in a tight spot. First Johnson had lost his re nomination bid. With him out, it was a tough choice. Delegates coalesced around Kennedy. But tragedy struck. After winning the California primary, Kennedy was shot in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was critically wounded and rushed to the hospital. He was very gravely injured and slipped into a coma. But that night, luck was with the Kennedy’s. Robert woke up two days later and was moved to stable condition. But however, he was so injured he felt he was not capable to serve in his condition. He needed time to heal.
“So while it was my dream to serve you all as your president, your champion, and your leader, I’m not able to do so. So I will endorse the only nominee left Eugene McCarthy. May he have luck in beating the republicans this fall. If I could recover, I shall campaign on his behalf where I can. This candidacy wasn’t about me. It was about the injustices which gave American people trouble every day. I accept Eugene McCarthy and to him I say. Good luck.” - Robert Kennedy’s famous hospital bed speech. Often noted as one of his iconic speeches.
Eugene McCarthy was left as the only choice, which pleased most. He wasn’t charismatic as Kennedy but he was sufficiently anti war. It took time but eventually the delegates began to coalesce. All but a few select people. These people? President Johnson and Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago. These two were party bosses who wanted to keep the war effort going. They were willing to do this by any means. They thought of many options but all seemed to fall flat. Soon, Johnson came up with the idea. The idea to stop McCarthy’s coronation. The only way to stop McCarthy, was Johnson himself.
“Daley: Are you mad?
Johnson: no. I’m just preventing these yuppies from preventing our hard work.
Daley: But there is no assurances of your safety
Johnson: I don’t care. I’m the only man who can stop him. -Phone Conversation between Mayor Daley and President Johnson August 25, 1968
Mayor Daley and aides working to re-elect Johnson.
It was dangerous yes, but Johnson knew he had to stop him to save his legacy from being dealt a savage blow. Airforce 1 left for Chicago with a mission late on August 26th. But until Johnson could get there, many pot shots were taken at the president and his policies. A tearful Ted Kennedy famously stood in place of Robert where he gave a speech that Robert would’ve given:
“This illegal war started under false pretenses, has cost Americans millions of dollars and thousands of lives. We must end this carnage to benefit the interests of the American people. What has been done is shameful and absolutely abhorrent to everything my brother stood for. (Applause).”
Many speeches were given slamming the war. As Johnson heard this, his blood began to boil but he was determined for one final display before he went down. On August 27th, nomination day, Johnson arrived. However, protestors somehow found out and surrounded and tossed objects at the presidential motorcade. Secret service had to fight off protestors with the national guard to get the president to the amphitheater. Johnson showed up and was escorted inside. Inside the hall, boos and jeers and cheers and yells were heard thus solidifying Democratic divide. Johnson came in and announced he had put himself up for re election. Many jeers rang out. But they were for naught. Delegates voted for Johnson who had Daley work delegates to secure Johnson’s chances. Johnson’s against all odds had swooped in and took the nomination in an upset. Wayne Morse was giving the speech leading up to McCarthy’s acceptance but Johnson took the spot. Morse, who was enraged, gave a fiery speech which was well remembered.
“Ladies and gentlemen, a crook and liar has been re selected. He has stolen what should have been Eugene McCarthy’s nod away from him. I say we have two options in this fight. We can choose to take it lying down, or we can stand in unanimous opposition to this. (Boos and yells of down with Johnson.) now this is a big announcement but to my friend Eugene, I demand you run a third party candidacy. (Cheers. Rare that evening, had rang.) I say that I would help out. As I can.”
Many agreed. Mike Mansfield, Abraham Ribicoff, Ted and Robert Kennedy to name some. McCarthy himself got a speech and made an announcement in the short speech time he was allotted.
“My friends, I have thought tirelessly about this, and I can say. I will. I will run with Wayne Morse as my running mate. We must oppose the war. Even if this costs democrats the election, it’s morality over party.”- Excerpt of Eugene McCarthy’s speech.
A photo of McCarthy’s speech. One of the few color images from the convention.
McCarthy was now providing some heat for Johnson. He gave the acceptance speech the next day which was accompanied by a presentation about his life.
“You see the convention was held around his birthday so it was supposed to commemorate his life in politics. A presentation was made to accentuate this. But the footage of it wasn’t heard on national tv. There was so much jeering that no one could hear it. The footage is unknown to still survive so to this day no one is sure if it still exists.”- Lost Media: From Real Events to TV Shows, Published 2017.
Johnson’s acceptance speech was so poorly received that with the riots outside and inside, Johnson became the only person is U.S. History who couldn’t finish his speech. He had to give it pre taped from the Oval Office. This shocking show had affected people so dramatically that Nixon gained major traction. Nixon was now looking unbeatable. But there was one man. One man who would stand in the doorway of Nixon’s nomination.
The Democrats were in a tight spot. First Johnson had lost his re nomination bid. With him out, it was a tough choice. Delegates coalesced around Kennedy. But tragedy struck. After winning the California primary, Kennedy was shot in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was critically wounded and rushed to the hospital. He was very gravely injured and slipped into a coma. But that night, luck was with the Kennedy’s. Robert woke up two days later and was moved to stable condition. But however, he was so injured he felt he was not capable to serve in his condition. He needed time to heal.
“So while it was my dream to serve you all as your president, your champion, and your leader, I’m not able to do so. So I will endorse the only nominee left Eugene McCarthy. May he have luck in beating the republicans this fall. If I could recover, I shall campaign on his behalf where I can. This candidacy wasn’t about me. It was about the injustices which gave American people trouble every day. I accept Eugene McCarthy and to him I say. Good luck.” - Robert Kennedy’s famous hospital bed speech. Often noted as one of his iconic speeches.
Eugene McCarthy was left as the only choice, which pleased most. He wasn’t charismatic as Kennedy but he was sufficiently anti war. It took time but eventually the delegates began to coalesce. All but a few select people. These people? President Johnson and Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago. These two were party bosses who wanted to keep the war effort going. They were willing to do this by any means. They thought of many options but all seemed to fall flat. Soon, Johnson came up with the idea. The idea to stop McCarthy’s coronation. The only way to stop McCarthy, was Johnson himself.
“Daley: Are you mad?
Johnson: no. I’m just preventing these yuppies from preventing our hard work.
Daley: But there is no assurances of your safety
Johnson: I don’t care. I’m the only man who can stop him. -Phone Conversation between Mayor Daley and President Johnson August 25, 1968
Mayor Daley and aides working to re-elect Johnson.
It was dangerous yes, but Johnson knew he had to stop him to save his legacy from being dealt a savage blow. Airforce 1 left for Chicago with a mission late on August 26th. But until Johnson could get there, many pot shots were taken at the president and his policies. A tearful Ted Kennedy famously stood in place of Robert where he gave a speech that Robert would’ve given:
“This illegal war started under false pretenses, has cost Americans millions of dollars and thousands of lives. We must end this carnage to benefit the interests of the American people. What has been done is shameful and absolutely abhorrent to everything my brother stood for. (Applause).”
Many speeches were given slamming the war. As Johnson heard this, his blood began to boil but he was determined for one final display before he went down. On August 27th, nomination day, Johnson arrived. However, protestors somehow found out and surrounded and tossed objects at the presidential motorcade. Secret service had to fight off protestors with the national guard to get the president to the amphitheater. Johnson showed up and was escorted inside. Inside the hall, boos and jeers and cheers and yells were heard thus solidifying Democratic divide. Johnson came in and announced he had put himself up for re election. Many jeers rang out. But they were for naught. Delegates voted for Johnson who had Daley work delegates to secure Johnson’s chances. Johnson’s against all odds had swooped in and took the nomination in an upset. Wayne Morse was giving the speech leading up to McCarthy’s acceptance but Johnson took the spot. Morse, who was enraged, gave a fiery speech which was well remembered.
“Ladies and gentlemen, a crook and liar has been re selected. He has stolen what should have been Eugene McCarthy’s nod away from him. I say we have two options in this fight. We can choose to take it lying down, or we can stand in unanimous opposition to this. (Boos and yells of down with Johnson.) now this is a big announcement but to my friend Eugene, I demand you run a third party candidacy. (Cheers. Rare that evening, had rang.) I say that I would help out. As I can.”
Many agreed. Mike Mansfield, Abraham Ribicoff, Ted and Robert Kennedy to name some. McCarthy himself got a speech and made an announcement in the short speech time he was allotted.
“My friends, I have thought tirelessly about this, and I can say. I will. I will run with Wayne Morse as my running mate. We must oppose the war. Even if this costs democrats the election, it’s morality over party.”- Excerpt of Eugene McCarthy’s speech.
A photo of McCarthy’s speech. One of the few color images from the convention.
McCarthy was now providing some heat for Johnson. He gave the acceptance speech the next day which was accompanied by a presentation about his life.
“You see the convention was held around his birthday so it was supposed to commemorate his life in politics. A presentation was made to accentuate this. But the footage of it wasn’t heard on national tv. There was so much jeering that no one could hear it. The footage is unknown to still survive so to this day no one is sure if it still exists.”- Lost Media: From Real Events to TV Shows, Published 2017.
Johnson’s acceptance speech was so poorly received that with the riots outside and inside, Johnson became the only person is U.S. History who couldn’t finish his speech. He had to give it pre taped from the Oval Office. This shocking show had affected people so dramatically that Nixon gained major traction. Nixon was now looking unbeatable. But there was one man. One man who would stand in the doorway of Nixon’s nomination.
- 20thCenturyBoy
- Word Count: 1k