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Sabato’s Crystal Ball: RNC Wrap-Up & Convention Memories

September 6th, 2008
By HOLLY IN CINCINNATI, Copy Editor

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Larry J. Sabato’s CONVENTION MEMORIES

One of the privileges of age is an assumed right to bore others with remembrances. Here are a few of mine about national political conventions.

We are in the midst of convention season, a grand attempt to make interesting two weeks of predictable political propaganda staged for TV. Barack Obama becomes the reincarnation of John F. Kennedy, while McCain takes on the visage of Theodore Roosevelt. Dashes of FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, and Reagan will be added for spice. Yes, civic education is well served by the weeks devoted to politics-and we at the Center for Politics celebrate that-but the saccharine quality leaves a disagreeable aftertaste.

It was not always so.

My own political awakening began at my father’s knee in 1960. A World War II veteran who came back to the United States with civic fire, Dad was determined to make me a good citizen. So we watched both conventions together, almost gavel to gavel. Regular programming was suspended and the three networks-the whole of TV at the time-broadcast them live. While just seven years old, I was fascinated by the thousands of shouting adults in crazy hats, parading around the halls with placards and banners. The vote count at the Democratic convention in Los Angeles was dramatic, and John Kennedy did not go over the top until Wyoming was called at the end of the list of the states.

MORE

Isaac Wood’s REPORTS FROM THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION: Day One Preview and Review from St. Paul

Isaac Wood’s Anxiously Awaiting the Alaskan’s Address: Day 2 Review and Day 3 Preview from St. Paul

Isaac Wood’s Attack Dog: Palin and Simple :: Reacting to Palin and Anticipating McCain



This entry was posted on Saturday, September 6th, 2008 at 7:46 pm and is filed under Culture Wars, Newsweek Blogitics, Republican Party, Christian Conservatives, Religious Right, Vice President, Political Christianity, RNC St. Paul Convention, Hurricane Gustav, Sarah Palin, Gay Rights, Guns, Joe Biden, George W. Bush, Society, Abortion, 2008 Elections, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Joe Lieberman, George H.W. Bush, John McCain, Politics. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

 
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