Reflection upon another primary and general election.

[aka-chmeee]

In 1968, at the all knowing age of 19 and unable to vote but having an intense interest in the proceedings. I joined the legions of young people (many of us, including me possessing nice new draft cards with 1A printed on them) in the service of Eugene McCarthy. As the campaign progressed and Robert Kennedy joined the fray I defected to RFK's following. Of course, I was crushed by the assassination of my candidate and felt that as the other peace candidate, Mr McCarthy, should then inherit the nomination which I knew would have been RFK's.

Came the convention in Chicago, which I was unable to attend, everyone felt that McCarthy had been robbed and that the party had foisted upon us the stodgy and slightly odd Hubert Humphrey who I now know as a good and honorable supporter of labor and democratic party principles (An appropriate quote for this time "The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.&quot

Anyway, we showed our displeasure with the party's pick in Chicago and joined by many who were just along for the opportunity to be assholes in public, wreaked havoc on Daly's order and decorum. Skulls met truncheons and blood was shed and ALL ON TV!

We sure showed them! And the only bad side effect was Richard Nixon was elected, the war continued, I, and thousands more were drafted, thousands more died, the word Watergate entered the vocabulary with a entirely new meaning, Nixon was threatened with impeachment, Repugs never got over it and are still getting their revenge and on and on, but...We showed that damned party machine all right!

Probably not the right place for this, but it feels safer here....

[yallerdawg]

1. It's a good analogy.

What if this is what Sanders wants for his final chapter?

[liberal N proud]

2. Like the way you played down the consequences of the 68 convention

"the only bad side effect"

Nixon was where the GOP when criminal and has been ever since. I always think, if we had not had Nixon, we might not have had Reagan and we also would not have had the GOP and their revenge impeachment of Bill Clinton.

Other than that, let's hope to God, that the BSers don't try to repeat what happened at the 68 convention because the consequences this time around are much more dire.

[PDittie]

3. It feels a lot like 1980 also

With Sanders as Ted Kennedy and Hillary as Jimmy Carter. As we all know, we got eight years of Ronald Reagan out of that, and a yuuuuuge wall of Democrats became Reagan Democrats, and then former Democrats.

[aka-chmeee]

4. ?????????

I try not to be dense but this placement of Hillary Clinton in 1980 as an incumbent president baffles me as much as what possible rationale can exist for Donald Trump

[BootinUp]

5. Your posts are welcome as far as I am concerned.

I was a little younger and can only rely on other peoples accounts. Yours seems to fit with my understanding (and the general consensus). It seems to me there are some lessons there that are applicable to today. Thanks for sharing.