Chaos at the DNC, riots in the streets of Denver, 1968 relived – no, these aren’t just the protest slogans being voiced by the usual suspects in the local radical scene. They’re potential scenarios that were hashed out by high-profile Democrats on last Sunday’s Face the Nation. If Hillary Clinton limps to the convention and manages to wrestle the nomination away from Barack Obama by use of the self-important (and, by now, self-loathing) superdelegates, it could make for some hot times in the Mile High City.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Clinton surrogate, said that the pitch of the campaigns is beginning to run a historical parallel to the notorious 1968 DNC in Chicago. “This is the best field of candidates since 1968 when Bobby Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Eugene McCarthy were running,” said Villaraigosa. “This is a battle of the titans and we’re probably going to go all the way to the conventions.”
Of course, friction among Democrats inside the 1968 convention was surpassed only by the police/protestor beatdowns out in the streets. This prompted the other guest, the of mayor Richmond, Virginia and an Obama supporter, Douglas Wilder to paint an even more turbulent scene to host Bob Schieffer.
“Bob, I think it would be a mistake because as you pointed out the first convention you went to was 1968. You know what a mess that was,” said Wilder. If the superdelegates intervene and override the votes passed by the elected delegates, “there will be chaos at the convention. It does nothing to help the democrats,” Wilder added. “If you thought 1968 was bad, you watch 2008. It will be worse.”
Wilder’s comments can be watched 7 minutes into the video found here.
In the segment that followed, Schieffer said that such an upset could make the DNC “a real raucous time.” Guest Roger Simon, chief political columnist for Politco.com, agreed saying that this type of move by superdelegates and party leaders would “rip the Democratic party in two.”
And Denver would finally be host to party worth crashing. - Jared Jacang Maher
