{"id":2326140,"date":"2024-08-18T07:05:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-18T11:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-this-chicago-dnc-be-more-like-disastrous-1968-or-celebratory-1996-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-18T07:09:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T11:09:11","slug":"will-this-chicago-dnc-be-more-like-disastrous-1968-or-celebratory-1996-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/will-this-chicago-dnc-be-more-like-disastrous-1968-or-celebratory-1996-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Will this Chicago DNC be more like disastrous 1968 or celebratory 1996? &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwill-this-chicago-dnc-be-more-like-disastrous-1968-or-celebratory-1996-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2326140&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago is \u200cbeing compared to two previous conventions:\u2064 the\u200b tumultuous 1968 \u200cevent \u2063marked by violent protests against the\u200c Vietnam War and the celebratory 1996 convention that saw \u2062Bill Clinton easily secure \u2062his second nomination. The 1968 convention was overshadowed by chaos, with police clashes with\u200d protesters, and ultimately did \u200clittle to help Hubert Humphrey, who lost the election. Conversely, the 1996 convention featured a more unified Democratic Party\u200d celebrating Clinton&#8217;s solid re-election prospects with dance and lively speeches. <\/p>\n<p>Now, as the 2024 \u200cconvention approaches, Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to\u200d accept the nomination amidst rising tensions within the \u200bparty, particularly regarding support for Israel and protests planned \u2062against the Biden administration&#8217;s stance. Activists threaten\u200b to \u2063disrupt the convention, pushing the narrative of division within the party, contrasting with Harris&#8217;s attempts to present a united front. Analysts suggest that\u200c the convention \u200dcould \u200dprovide a boost to Harris and her running mate, despite the potential for protest-related distractions. History looms large over this \u2063event, with expectations that the environment could resemble \u2064the chaos of 1968 rather than the harmony of 1996, especially given the current political climate surrounding Israel and \u2062Palestinian rights.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Will this Chicago Democratic National Convention be more like disastrous 1968 or celebratory 1996?<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1726272\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>CHICAGO &mdash; <\/strong>Call it a tale of two Chicago <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-national-convention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Conventions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The 1968 party gathering in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illinois\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Illinois<\/a> conjures up images of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chicago\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Chicago<\/a> Police beating up hippies and other Vietnam War protesters in the streets outside of the International Amphitheatre. The divisive affair did little to help then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, the Democratic presidential nominee who went on to lose narrowly that fall against Republican rival Richard Nixon.<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-eight years later in Chicago, though, Democrats put on a much happier face. At the United Center, the same site where, on Thursday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Vice President Kamala Harris<\/a> will officially accept the Democratic presidential nomination, Democratic faithful in 1996 danced in the aisles to &ldquo;Macarena.&rdquo; Delegates&rsquo; moves to the Latin-themed song, a Billboard topper at the time, were <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DemocraticLuntz\/status\/1392164128207298562\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>often awkward<\/a> &mdash; and to this day periodically surface on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/roger-stone-announces-he-will-sue-those-who-arrested-him-and-put-him-in-front-of-a-kangaroo-court\/\" title=\"Roger Stone Announces He Will Sue Those Who Arrested Him and Put Him In Front of a Kangaroo Court\">social media site<\/a> X as memes. But it signaled Democrats&rsquo; good feelings at the time. Then-President Bill Clinton was easily on his way to securing a second term over Republican nominee Bob Dole, the former Senate majority leader.<\/p>\n<p>Now, another 28 years after the last Democratic National Convention in Chicago, it&rsquo;s an open question how much the event will boost the chances of Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN). Democrats are generally united behind Harris as she tries to fend off a challenge from former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican nominee. But vocal anti-Israel elements of the Democratic coalition are angry at what they call one-sided support for the Jewish state by President Joe Biden &mdash; with Harris by his side in the White House.<\/p>\n<p>Israel-hostile activists threaten to disrupt the happy face Democrats want to put on the convention, with planned protests outside of the United Center. The protests will, in a sense, continue and likely ratchet up efforts that began almost immediately after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, with hundreds more taken hostage. Israel&rsquo;s defensive war in response has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, a result of the Hamas strategy to use Gaza residents as human shields.<\/p>\n<p>The looming protests threaten the convention&rsquo;s emphasis on a seamless hand-off to Harris, 59, by Biden, 81 who bowed out of running amid pressure by fellow Democrats concerned about voters&rsquo; negative reaction to his continued White House tenure at such an advanced age.<\/p>\n<p>Expect to see the anti-Israel protests outside the United Center a major part of news coverage, said Talmage Boston, author of the 2024 book <em>How the Best Did It: Lessons From Our Top Presidents<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think it will be more like 1968,&rdquo; Boston said in an interview. &ldquo;All these anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian groups are all going to Chicago and are going to be marching. That&rsquo;s a lot of people. Inside the convention building, I think it&rsquo;s going to be a coronation, and everybody&rsquo;s locked arms, with a sense of unity, etc.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>There&rsquo;s a key difference from the 1968 outdoor protests when much of the nation had turned against the war in Vietnam, added Boston, a Dallas-based attorney who has practiced at law firms in Texas since the late 1970s. Now, most mainstream Democrats are still pro-Israel, to one degree or another.<\/p>\n<p>That makes for a serious party split.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is different &mdash; most Americans do not support the cause for which these protesters are advocating,&rdquo; Boston said. &ldquo;I would be shocked if there&rsquo;s not some major conflict. I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s going to be calm overall.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Still, the convention, even with inconvenient protests outside of the United Center, could give the Harris-Walz ticket a boost, building off the momentum they&rsquo;ve seen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-targets-foxs-laura-ingraham-over-hit-piece-on-his-poll-numbers\/\" title=\"Trump attacks Laura Ingraham for negative coverage of his poll numbers on Fox.\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/update-corrupted-software-that-stole-6000-votes-from-trump-in-michigan-county-shut-down-for-two-hours-in-red-counties-in-georgia-on-election-day\/\" title=\"Update: Corrupted Software that Stole 6,000 Votes From Trump in Michigan County -- Shut Down for TWO HOURS in Red Counties in Georgia on Election Day\">swing state<\/a> polls<\/a> of late, said Brian Rosenwald, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-reflects-on-his-years-of-friendship-with-the-late-walter-mondale\/\" title=\"Biden Reflects On His \u2018Years Of Friendship\u2019 With The Late Walter Mondale\">political historian<\/a> at the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think you&rsquo;re going to have fewer problems than if Biden had stayed on the ticket,&rdquo; Rosenwald said in an interview. &ldquo;Also, for Harris, the Left is willing to cut her a bit more slack on the Middle East. Since she&rsquo;s not the decision-maker, and she&rsquo;s blurred her views a bit more on it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>More broadly, &ldquo;This is her chance to reintroduce herself,&rdquo; Rosenwald said. &ldquo;Harris has a real shot to put this race away. If she has as good a next month as she&rsquo;s had this past month.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Yet the flip side is that any mistake by Harris is likely to get compounded by the crunched nature of her 3 1\/2-month presidential bid.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is some downside here,&rdquo; Rosenwald said. &ldquo;The compression of everything can create something of a political snowball.&rdquo; &nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A chaotic 1968 and serene 1996<\/h2>\n<p>Whatever happens over the next few days, though, the ghosts of 1968 aren&rsquo;t going away. The convention occurred in the shadow of President Lyndon Johnson&rsquo;s March 31, 1968 announcement that he wouldn&rsquo;t seek reelection. A few days later, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The Democratic race itself was upended two months later with the killing of New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who, with Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy, had helped drive Johnson from the race over Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most tumultuous conventions in history yielded some extraordinary television moments. CBS White House correspondent Dan Rather was caught in the middle of a scrum on the floor and was roughed up, telling anchor Walter Cronkite, who was stationed on a platform in the venue, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry to be out of breath, but somebody belted me in the stomach.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Cronkite replied, &ldquo;I think we got a bunch of thugs here, Dan, if I may be permitted to say so. &hellip; Thank you, Dan, and pitching in there, despite every handicap that they can possibly put in our way from free flow of information.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>When Sen. Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut gave a speech in favor of nominating George McGovern, his Democratic Senate colleague from South Dakota, he exclaimed, &ldquo;With George McGovern as president of the United States, we wouldn&rsquo;t have to have Gestapo tactics in the streets of Chicago &hellip; we wouldn&rsquo;t have a National Guard [here]!&rdquo; Cameras caught Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley shouting expletives and insults at Ribicoff, who noted, &ldquo;How hard it is &hellip; to accept the truth.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In marked contrast to 1968, the 1996 DNC was essentially a recoronation of Clinton, who turned 50 that summer. He led throughout the race against Dole, then 73, in a generational battle. Dole, in 1996, had finally won the Republican nomination in his fourth bid for national office, but he never had much of a shot against Clinton, whose fiercest critics acknowledged his profound political skills.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights of the 1996 convention included a speech by the late paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve on opening night, with Reeve speaking passionately about the Americans with Disabilities Act. On a lighter note, &ldquo;Macarena&rdquo; ruled the convention &mdash; then-first lady <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=hillary+clinton+macarena&amp;rlz=1C5GCCM_enUS1112US1113&amp;oq=Hillary+Clinton+Macarena&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgBEAAYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMg0IBhAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMg0IBxAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMg0ICBAAGIYDGIAEGIoFMg0ICRAAGIYDGIAEGIoF0gEJNDczMmowajE1qAIIsAIB&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:6f68018d,vid:p9-6MgMNuTY,st:0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hillary Clinton<\/a> can be seen clapping enthusiastically, if a bit off-beat, in a clip that&rsquo;s made the X rounds ahead of the 2024 Chicago Democratic National Convention.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic delegates were even treated to the comedic stylings of then-Vice President Al Gore, who said, &ldquo;This is some crowd. I&rsquo;ve been watching you doing that Macarena on television. And if I could have your silence, I would like to demonstrate for you, the Al Gore version of the Macarena.&rdquo; Gore then stood perfectly still, a deadpan expression on his face, before saying, &ldquo;Would you like to see it again?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Even if those good feelings can be replicated, bad memories from 1968 are likely to hang over this convention.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I thought from the beginning it was stupid to put it in Chicago,&rdquo; said Rosenwald, the University of Pennsylvania political historian. &ldquo;There would have been a marginal benefit to having it in a swing state. The images of 1968 are so indelible. Every time you got there, you run the risk of people looking back to that convention.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1726272\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1726272\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Will this Chicago Democratic National Convention resemble the chaotic 1968 event or the festive 1996 gathering? CHICAGO \u2014 This is a story of two Democratic National Conventions in Chicago. The 1968 convention is remembered for scenes of police clashing with anti-Vietnam War demonstrators outside the International Amphitheatre, which did little to aid then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who ultimately lost to Republican Richard Nixon that fall. In contrast, at the 1996 convention held at the United Center\u2014where Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her presidential nomination\u2014Democrats celebrated joyfully, dancing to &#8220;Macarena.&#8221; The delegates&#8217; awkward dance moves became memes on social media but reflected a sense of unity and optimism as President Bill Clinton was on track for re-election against Bob Dole.<\/p>\n<p>Fast forward another 28 years to this year&#8217;s convention; it remains uncertain how much it will enhance Harris&#8217;s and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz&#8217;s chances in light of their competition against former President Donald Trump. While Democrats largely support Harris, there are tensions within the party due to dissatisfaction from some anti-Israel factions regarding President Joe Biden\u2019s perceived one-sided support for Israel during ongoing conflicts. These activists plan protests outside the United Center that could overshadow Democrats&#8217; attempts at presenting a united front.<\/p>\n<p>Political analyst Talmage Boston predicts that while inside may feel like a celebration akin to a coronation for Harris, significant protests outside could mirror the tumultuous atmosphere of 1968 rather than the calmness seen in 1996. He notes that unlike in &#8217;68 when public sentiment had turned against Vietnam, most mainstream Democrats today still support Israel\u2014a factor contributing to internal divisions within the party.<\/p>\n<p>Despite potential disruptions from protests, political historian Brian Rosenwald suggests that this convention might still provide an opportunity for Harris and Walz by capitalizing on recent positive polling trends among swing voters. He believes that since she isn&#8217;t currently making major decisions regarding foreign policy as vice president, she may receive more leniency from progressive critics concerning Middle Eastern issues.<\/p>\n<p>However, any misstep by Harris could be magnified given her condensed campaign timeline leading up to November&#8217;s election. Regardless of what unfolds over these days leading up to and during the convention itself, memories of past chaos from &#8217;68 loom large over this event\u2014raising questions about whether hosting it again in Chicago was wise given its historical significance and potential implications for current political dynamics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2695,"featured_media":2326141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/harris-economy-1.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[13456,11227,4387,7705,5894],"class_list":["post-2326140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-13456","tag-11227","tag-chicago","tag-dnc","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/harris-economy-1.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2695"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2326140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2326140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2326141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2326140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2326140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2326140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}