I get the 1968 comparisons but the similarity strikes me as being far more superficial than substantive. The protests are pretty small and tame compared to say 100,000 people marching on the Pentagon or the enormous violence happening in American cities at the time. Likewise Biden didn't face a strong primary challenge at all compared to McCarthy's shocking 2nd place finish in New Hampshire that forced LBJ to drop out. Moreover the comparison of Gaza to Vietnam strike me as being quite a stretch (if not ridiculous to be frank). At the height of the war 250 American servicemen where dying a week from communities across the country. Likewise there was a draft that affected every American with a young male friend or relative. There's nothing like that today.
With regards to Chicago I expect a lot of media coverage of protestors in Millennial Park, and a rather normal convention, nothing like the one in 1968 where it was still unclear who the nominee would be and everyone tuned in to find out.
To be blunt a lot of these comparisons are just Boomer Brain (to use Dave Weigel's term.)
We need to quit sending military aid to Israel. IMHO. Of course, I thought that before October 7th, but even more so now. But I’m voting for Biden no matter what, because I understand the consequences.
I loved the title of this piece and the first paragraph, because I think the bipartisan embrace of globalization led to much of what we're enduring nowadays.
I get the 1968 comparisons but the similarity strikes me as being far more superficial than substantive. The protests are pretty small and tame compared to say 100,000 people marching on the Pentagon or the enormous violence happening in American cities at the time. Likewise Biden didn't face a strong primary challenge at all compared to McCarthy's shocking 2nd place finish in New Hampshire that forced LBJ to drop out. Moreover the comparison of Gaza to Vietnam strike me as being quite a stretch (if not ridiculous to be frank). At the height of the war 250 American servicemen where dying a week from communities across the country. Likewise there was a draft that affected every American with a young male friend or relative. There's nothing like that today.
With regards to Chicago I expect a lot of media coverage of protestors in Millennial Park, and a rather normal convention, nothing like the one in 1968 where it was still unclear who the nominee would be and everyone tuned in to find out.
To be blunt a lot of these comparisons are just Boomer Brain (to use Dave Weigel's term.)
We need to quit sending military aid to Israel. IMHO. Of course, I thought that before October 7th, but even more so now. But I’m voting for Biden no matter what, because I understand the consequences.
The Vietnam War was THE pressing domestic issue in 1968, how could there have been anything as important?
Today, most Americans aren't personally affected like in 1968, Gaza is foreign policy.
Climate change and abortions are just two issues more important.
I hope you’re right.
I loved the title of this piece and the first paragraph, because I think the bipartisan embrace of globalization led to much of what we're enduring nowadays.
Bobby Kennedy Jr is an even bigger Zionist than Biden or Trump tho