TIME-TRAVELING TO REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS PAST

September 2nd, 2008, 8:50 am · Post a Comment · posted by Dan Lehr

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Above: Roll call from 1948. It was the last year we had a Presidential candidate with a mustache, Thomas Dewey. Truman was widely expected to lose.. but ended up pulling the most stunning upset of the modern presidential era.

Don’t have a clip from the 1952 GOP convention which nominated Ike, but there is this from 1956, for his & Nixon’s re-election:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

The 1960 GOP convention was notable because of the speech given by former President Herbert Hoover (above), for whom this presidential election was his last.

Below: highlights from the rest of the ‘60 convention:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Another president (this time, a future one) appeared at the 1964 convention, the one that nominated Barry Goldwater. This clip is a long one, but interesting for historical reasons. Reagan had been a Republican for less than a decade at this point in his career.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Here’s more about Goldwater & the behind-the-scenes stuff from that year.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

There’s so much on the YouTubes on the 1968 Democratic convention; & none I could find on the one that nominated Nixon. Here’s an ad Nixon aired that year:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Can't find anything from the 1972 GOP convention.

In 1976 the GOP saw one of their most exciting conventions; in fact, this may be the last time a GOP convention had as much anarchy as this. Reagan tried to win the nomination that Ford ultimately got; the two made nice, & Reagan made this impromptu speech from the podium:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Here’s President Ford’s convention speech:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Reagan just had to wait 4 years for his turn. Here’s an excerpt of his acceptance speech in 1980:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Reagan was riding high as a popular incumbent in 1984. Here’s his acceptance speech from Texas that year.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

There were a lot of famous faces that year. See whom you can spot in this clip:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

1988? You can pretty much watch this brief clip to get the gist of what kind of history was made there:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

As we all know, President Bush had to go back on this pledge, & many say that cost him re-election in 1992.

By the way here’s a look at future president George W. Bush at that convention in 1988, being interviewed by Connie Chung about Dan Quayle’s national guard service:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Here’s a clip featuring photos & audio of George H.W. Bush’s 1992 convention acceptance speech:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

& by the way, it was a shortened convention last night, but here’s Laura Bush & Cindy McCain asking folks for hurricane Gustav donations:

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

I hope you enjoyed the GOP convention time-traveling! If you have any impressions or lessons from conventions past that the GOP should learn for this year, please weigh in with a comment!