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This passage from Theodore White's "Making of a President 1968" describes the precise moment - August 28th, 1968 - writes Jeffrey Lord, when " the Democratic Party, America's oldest, begins to implode." |
"Never before had a party gathering attempted so violently to intrude
itself in state policy while its party leaders were fighting a
war....In Paris a negotiating team headed by two Democrats [former New
York Governor Averell Harriman and future Carter Secretary of State
Cyrus Vance] sought to bargain their way out of the war, yet found
their political entrails at home bared by their own Party for the
enemy's scrutiny."
The soon-to-be nominee, Vice President Hubert Humphrey -- a life-long
leader of the liberal-wing of the Party -- was supporting a platform
plank that read thusly: "We reject as unacceptable a unilateral
withdrawal" from Vietnam. On the other side were Senators Eugene
McCarthy and George McGovern and the supporters of the late Robert
Kennedy, their minority plank -- a "peace" plank -- demanding what
White described as "a forthright denunciation of America's commitment."
After a furious fight, Humphrey's forces won, 1, 567 3/4 to 1,041 1/4.
While Humphrey won the point, an ominous margin of 526 votes was the
thin barrier that separated the robust national security policies
bequeathed Democrats by Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F.
Kennedy from the start of another Democratic Party legacy altogether:
appeasement. Meanwhile, outside Humphrey's hotel window in the streets
of Chicago the anti-war demonstrators chanted "Sieg Heil," comparing
Humphrey to Adolf Hitler. [Sound familiar?]
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Lord opines
that "... a very defined pattern of
acts of submission by modern Democrats to foreign threats -- from
Communism to Islamic fascism." have made histrionics like we just
witnessed over the Paths to 9-11, and Clinton's FOX News rant, simply
not believable by a majority of Americans. Great article.
Especially ironic, too, in light of this currently displayed Drudge
blurb that made me choke ...
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So, were you a history teacher or poly-sci major in another life? Juice
ReplyDeletePoly Sci ( Gov't & Pol) Major, Econ minor, among others ... :D Theodore Whites MOAP 1960 was the first political book I ever read - I still have it.
ReplyDeleteDamn, I remember that as if it were yesterday. We really watched the whole thing come down. On the bright side, the fire hoses probably provided the only bath the damned hippies had in a year.
ReplyDeleteThis is not what those hippies are teaching their college students, but a good 90% of everybody watching that show was hoping Richard Daly would bring in tanks and flame throwers. There would have been dancing in the streets for a week, and after we could be all, "Oh, it was so tragic." Like Kent State.
ReplyDeleteAugust '68 was indeed the beginning of our political meltdown, and our system may have moved into intensive care. The likely scenarios at this point are either one party rule (which scares me more than the Donks), or rule by "enlightened" despots in black robes, which we already have aplenty. I don't like those probabilities, but I sure can't see past them.
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