Wednesday, July 20, 2016

National Political Conventions

Governor Mike Pence is addressing the National Convention of the Republican Party in Cleveland and the Television audience as I write this.  It has been an interesting night with Eric Trump, Ted Cruz, Newt Gingrich, etc. Some years ago, I started a chronology of "Memories of My Presidents". I was able to get considerable amount of information off the Internet but also utilized the information from  my Diaries, Journals and my memory. I reviewed the 33 page document this evening which extends from the election of 1932 through the inauguration of President Obama. The election of 1952 was of particular interest because of television. Included in my story is of Elaine and I visiting the home of Arnold and Sue Davis that had television at the time of the National Conventions. We were able to watch General Dwight D. Eisenhower nominated as the Republican party nominee for President with Richard M. Nixon as VP.  Estes Kefauver of Tennessee was the leading candidate going into the Democratic Convention in Chicago with Illinois Governor Adlai E. Stevenson giving the welcoming address. However, a groundswell of support emerged for Stevenson and he and Senator John Sparkman of Alabama were nominated. President Truman came through Seward on a "whistle stop" tour in support of the Democratic ticket and spoke for a few minutes from the back of his RR car. I was among a small crowd who gathered near the Burlington Depot to hear him. By the time of the General election we had our own TV and had friends in to watch Stevenson concede  at 1:15am and Eisenhower give his acceptance speech at 1:30.

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