A tale of two DNCs: Will 2024 convention bring back old memories from 1968?
As Democrats gather in Chicago for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, memories of the 1968 convention are hard to ignore. The parallels between then and now are striking, but key differences might shape a different outcome this time around.
More than 55 years ago, Chicago, along with the rest of the nation, was in political turmoil. President Lyndon Johnson had stunned the country by announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election. The streets outside the convention were filled with tens of thousands of protesters, mostly young people outraged by the Vietnam War.
Inside, the Democratic Party was struggling to unite behind a nominee after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, the party’s frontrunner.
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The result? A violent clash between protesters and police on Michigan Avenue was later described as a “police riot” and a major political party that went on to lose the general election to Richard Nixon in a landslide.
Fast forward to 2024, and some similarities are reappearing. President Joe Biden has stepped aside, and the party has coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris, who hasn’t participated in any primaries—much like Hubert Humphrey in 1968.
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However, the differences may be just as significant. The vice president has faced little resistance since becoming her party’s nominee. And while it was Donald Trump who survived an assassination attempt, It’s Kamala Harris who has recently surged in the polls.
Chicago’s streets are again seeing protests, but the atmosphere has changed. Over the past few days, pro-Palestinian protesters marched down Michigan Avenue, but the demonstrations have mostly remained peaceful.
The 2024 DNC kicks off with high stakes and a party determined to present a united front. But will the 2024 convention be a turning point for the Democratic Party, or will history repeat itself?
Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the Paste BN Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow