Convention Highlights (circa 1976, 1980)
Rather than subject myself to the banalities of the 2004 conventions, I've managed to catch some of C-SPAN2's coverage of past conventions. I really want to see the 1964 Republican Convention, where I can see my hero Barry Goldwater in action, though since they're already up to 1980, I'm guessing I missed it.
If you haven't already seen it, you should read Gerald Ford's acceptance speech in 1976. The parallels to 2004 are eerie - all of this talk about partisan division and rancor, about Democrats making the country's defense system weaker, crowing about recent economic success, and pushing for new tax cuts. About 80-90% of this talk could be recycled for 2004, and a good portion could even be used by Kerry.
In 1980, I noticed that as Reagan spoke, Bush 41 and his wife, were, naturally, seated nearby, watching Reagan speak. To my amusement, I noticed the 43rd president and his wife sitting behind him, both looking quite young with stylishly 70's hairdos. Bush 43 looked like Sonny from The Godfather. He and Laura were seated at such an angle that you wouldn't actually notice them unless you knew to look for them, but they are directly behind Bush 41 and Barbarba.
If you haven't already seen it, you should read Gerald Ford's acceptance speech in 1976. The parallels to 2004 are eerie - all of this talk about partisan division and rancor, about Democrats making the country's defense system weaker, crowing about recent economic success, and pushing for new tax cuts. About 80-90% of this talk could be recycled for 2004, and a good portion could even be used by Kerry.
In 1980, I noticed that as Reagan spoke, Bush 41 and his wife, were, naturally, seated nearby, watching Reagan speak. To my amusement, I noticed the 43rd president and his wife sitting behind him, both looking quite young with stylishly 70's hairdos. Bush 43 looked like Sonny from The Godfather. He and Laura were seated at such an angle that you wouldn't actually notice them unless you knew to look for them, but they are directly behind Bush 41 and Barbarba.
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Addendum - Reagan in 1980 just ripped Carter for helicoptering out to the USS Nimitz, and giving a talk on board. It seems that Carter had either just vetoed or signaled his opposition to pay raises for army personnel, while he told the people on the Nimitz that he supported pay increases.
I already knew that Truman landed on an aircraft carrier to give a talk, but this is the first I heard of Carter doing the same thing. Bush 43's little foray seems to have precedence, and both times from Democrats.
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