Delegates dance the “Macarena” at the 1996 Democratic National Convention at the United Center.
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As we approach the 2024 Democratic National Convention, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable pop culture moments from Chicago’s last two DNCs.
One of the most tumultuous presidential conventions in history has made for ordinary televised moments. CBS White House correspondent Dan Rather was caught in the middle of a fight on the floor and manhandled, telling host Walter Cronkite (who was stationed on a platform in the room), “I’m sorry, I’m out of breath, but someone punched me in the stomach,” to which Cronkite responded, “I think we’ve got a lot of VOYALS here, Dan, if I may say so. . . Thanks Dan and thanks for your contribution. , despite all the obstacles that can be put in the way of information loss. “
Journalist Dan Rather interviews John Connally at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, where at some other point he punched in the stomach.
When Senator Abraham Ribicoff gave a speech in favor of George McGovern’s nomination, he exclaimed, “With George McGovern as President of the United States, we would not want to have Gestapo tactics on the streets of Chicago. . . we would not want to hotel the tactics of the Gestapo on the streets of Chicago. Have a National Guard [here]! Cameras filmed Mayor Richard J. Daley shouting curses and insults at Ribicoff, and Ribicoff pointing out: “How complicated it is. . . conform to the truth. »
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A song by the band Chicago (photographed in 1970) included audio of protesters from the 1968 conference.
Ian Showell/Getty Images
April 1969 marked the release of the debut studio album through a local rock band that was first called The Big Thing before converting their name to Chicago Transit Authority and then simply “Chicago”. The fourth part of the double album began with “Prologue, August 29, 1968”, which incorporated audio of anti-war protesters singing “The total global is watching, the total global is watching”, as they clashed with the police in front of the Conrado Hilton. Hotel the 1968 Democratic National Committee.
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Jeremy Strong (foreground, left) plays Jerry Rubin opposite Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman in “The Trial of the Chicago 7. “
netflix
The 1969-70 trial of those accused of crossing state lines to incite an insurrection; the 1968 protests encouraged books, plays, documentaries, TV specials and movies, and added “The Trial of the Chicago 7” by 2020 writer and director Aaron Sorkin. It earned six Academy Award nominations and 4 stars from this critic for the combination of poetic license and essential truths. Prior to the film’s release, Sorkin told me that for the protest scenes filmed in Chicago, “a lot of [Chicago police officers] are played through off-duty Chicago police officers, many of whom are young from the Chicago police officers who were there in 1968. . . We had crowds marching down the street, chanting, “Everybody’s watching us. “If you’ve lived in Chicago all your life, you’ve thought, ‘This can’t happen again. ‘”
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Graham Nash’s 1971 single “Chicago/We Can Change the World” begins with the lyrics:
Even if your brother is gagged.
And they chained him to a chair.
Don’t come to Chicago, please.
just to sing
The first two lines deal with Chicago Eight defendant Bobby Seale being bound and gagged in court by order of Judge Julius Hoffman. (Seale eventually tried it separately. ) Then comes a reference to an invitation to Crosby, Stills, Nash.
Actor Christopher Reeve speaks at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in 1996.
RON EDMONDS/AP
Unlike in 1968, the 1996 Democratic National Committee was necessarily a new coronation of President Bill Clinton, who was destined to defeat Bob Dole in a landslide. Highlights of the conference included a speech delivered by paralyzed actor Christopher Reeve on opening night, with Reeve speaking passionately about the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Another special moment was provided by the Broadway cast of the sensational new musical “Rent,” who flew to Chicago to present “Seasons of Love. “Watch C-SPAN’s brave but still video of the presentation and you can take a look. of promising young stars such as Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs. Cool stuff.
Moving from the sublime to the ridiculous: You can also find videos of delegates at the United Center dancing, of course, to “Macarena. “We were even treated to the comic style of Al Gore, who said, “It’s a crowd. “I saw you do that Macarena on TV. And if you’ll allow me your silence, I’d like to show you Al Gore’s edition of the Macarena. Gore then stood completely still, with an impassive expression on his face, before saying, “Would you like to see him again?”Yes. You probably had to be there.
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There were giant off-site parties in 1996, adding Norman Lear’s People for the American Way party at the Palmer House Hilton, which Bianca Jagger attended, and a party at the Michael Jordan restaurant honoring Bulls coach Phil Jackson and his former New York player. Knicks teammate, Senator Bill Bradley. However, the most popular price was by far the George magazine party hosted by John F. Kennedy Jr. in the Art Institute. La nature of my task has given me front-row (or at least on the upper deck) access to countless prestigious occasions over the years, but I’ve rarely noticed the kind of frenzy that surrounded Kennedy as he entered the crowded world. party, and among the attendees were Oprah Winfrey, Kevin Costner, Chris Rock, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, Aretha Franklin and Norman Mailer. (A highlight for me chatting with the late Clarence Williams III about “Mod Squad” and “Purple Rain. “)
John F. Kennedy, Jr. listens to a question at a panel discussion at Harvard University in 1997, months after his party made a splash at the Democratic National Convention.
STEPHAN SAVOIA/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Three years later, John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash. He is only 38 years old. At the time, I noticed that of all the pop icons I’d seen pop up in public over the years, “there were three whose mere presence charged the atmosphere with such electrical excitement that people around them felt completely dizzy. “Array. Michael Jordan, Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy Jr. “A quarter of a century later, I’m not sure this list needs to be updated.
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