Top 10 Convention Moments
Real Clear Poliics has a list of the top ten convention moments. They are:
- 1932 DNC – FDR
- 1964 RNC – Barry Goldwater
- 1968 DNC – Chicago anti war riots
- 1948 DNC – Hubert Humphrey in favour of racial integration, leading to Dixiecrats walkout
- 1976 RNC – Ronald Reagan impromptu speech
- 1980 DNC – Ted Kennedy speech
- 1960 DNC – JFK acceptance speech
- 2004 DNC – Barack Obama
- 1992 RNC – Pat Buchanan with his culture war speech
- 1896 DNC – William Jennings Bryan giving a rousing speech arguing against the gold standard
Interesting that most of them are not speechs by the winner, but by others. I suspect the Ted Kennedy speech at the 2008 DNC convention could become historic (and I say this not liking Kennedy). With Obama seen by many as an heir to JFK, a speech by the last surviving brother will have significance. And the reality that Ted Kennnedy is dying, this will be his last convention, and with his death will go that generation of the Kennedys. I suspect it will be very raw and powerful.