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132-694: The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held August 26–29 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Earlier that year incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had announced he would not seek reelection, thus making the purpose of the convention to select a new presidential nominee for the Democratic Party . Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine were nominated for president and vice president, respectively. The event

264-547: A police riot . The disturbances were well publicized by the mass media, with some journalists and reporters being caught up in the violence. Network newsmen Dan Rather, Mike Wallace , and Edwin Newman were assaulted by the police while inside the convention hall. The Democratic National Convention had been held in Chicago twelve years earlier . Daley had played an integral role in the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960. In 1968, however, it did not seem that Daley had maintained

396-778: A Navy admiral based in Honolulu , through his subordinate, the Air Force commander of Pacific Air Forces ( PACAF ). Due to their influence, the Navy could not be persuaded to integrate its air operations over North Vietnam with those of the Air Force. General William W. Momyer , commander of the Seventh, had the impression that CINCPAC and PACAF wanted to keep the Thai-based aircraft out of his hands. "By denying Momyer, they were really denying Westmoreland and keeping air operations against

528-496: A bombing pause. Faced with Johnson's fury, Humphrey gave in and accepted a plank more to Johnson's liking. Johnson always felt contempt for Humphrey and liked to bully him, telling Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford that he would respect Humphrey more if only he "showed he had some balls". Though some of Humphrey's advisors counseled him to defy the lame-duck president, Humphrey resignedly stated: "Well, it would not look like an act based on principle or conviction; it would seem like

660-543: A bunch of thugs here, Dan." On the last night, NBC News switched back and forth between images of the violence to the festivities over Humphrey's victory in the convention hall, highlighting the division in the Democratic Party. Daley's security measures were so intense that it was not possible to walk across the convention floor without jostling other delegates, which added to the tensions as Democrats fiercely argued about whether to accept Johnson's war plank to

792-485: A cable to US Ambassador to South Vietnam Maxwell Taylor , Johnson stressed that the paramount goal of a bombing campaign would be to boost Saigon's morale, not to influence Hanoi, expressing hope "that the building of a minimum government will benefit by ... assurances from us to the highest levels [of the South Vietnamese government] that we ... intend to take continuing action." Questions then arose among

924-406: A complete bombing pause if elected. Anticipating the " Vietnamization " strategy later carried out by Richard Nixon , Humphrey's platform called for the "de-Americanization" of the war as the U.S. gradually pulled American troops out from South Vietnam and shifted the burden of fighting back to the South Vietnamese. Johnson, despite spending the week at his Texas ranch, maintained tight control over

1056-545: A conservative white Southern Democrat who might prevent Southern whites from voting for Wallace or Nixon, bringing back one of the most loyal Democratic voting blocs of the past century. Humphrey mustered the courage to defy Johnson and choose as his running mate Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine , a dignified, centrist Democrat. Humphrey had been well known as a liberal supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, and he felt that with Nixon and Wallace competing for

1188-459: A criterion system considering: (a) reducing North Vietnamese support of communist operations in Laos and South Vietnam, (b) limiting North Vietnamese capabilities to take direct action against Laos and South Vietnam, and finally (c) impairing North Vietnam's capacity to continue as an industrially viable state. There was widespread concern that an air campaign could lead to a wider conflict involving

1320-459: A fund raiser for Johnson's re-election campaign, with an entry fee of one thousand dollars per plate (approximately $ 7,200 in 2016 dollars). During the meeting, Daley explained to the president that there had been a disappointing showing of Democrats in the 1966 congressional races , and the president might lose the swing state of Illinois with its 26 electoral votes if the convention were not held there. Johnson's pro-war policies had already created

1452-555: A game by the Loyola Ramblers college basketball team, who became tenants of the reopened Amphitheatre. Some repairs and improvements had been made to the facility. A greater $ 5 million renovation was planned at the time of its reopening, and it was intended that Loyola basketball would remain tenants of the venue for at least five years. However, for their 1989 season, Loyola had moved to the Rosemont Horizon after

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1584-405: A gimmick. It would seem strange. And it would enrage the president." The platform that Humphrey had written on Johnson's dictation was introduced onto the floor of the convention and prompted a passionate three-hour long floor debate as anti-war Democrats obstinately objected. The platform was passed with 1,567 delegates (60%) voting for the platform and 1,041 (40%) voting against. When the platform

1716-429: A great division within the party; he hoped that the selection of Chicago for the convention would eliminate further conflict with opposition. The DNC head for selecting the location was David Wilentz of New Jersey , who gave the official reason for choosing Chicago as, "It is centrally located geographically which will reduce transportation costs and because it has been the site of national conventions for both Parties in

1848-528: A more moderate target list, which the Joint Chiefs opposed. No action was taken while these, and other, plans were considered. But matters came to a head with the attack on Camp Holloway on 7 February 1965, which demanded immediate action, and resulted in a reprisal raid known as Operation Flaming Dart . A sapper raid against an American enlisted men's billet at Qui Nhon on the 10th led to Flaming Dart II. These small-scale operations were launched against

1980-553: A one-time strike was authorized against two missile sites. The sites were traps with dummies defended by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). Six strike aircraft were destroyed, with two pilots killed, one missing, two captured, and one rescued. A U.S. pilot described the action as "looking like the end of the world." On 29 June 1965, airstrikes against the North's petroleum, oil, and lubricants (POL) storage areas were authorized by Johnson. The American military had advocated such strikes since

2112-458: A personal affront, telling Humphrey in a telephone call to change it at once. When Humphrey protested that "Dean Rusk approved it," Johnson shouted over the phone: "That's not the way I hear it. Well, this just undercuts our whole policy, and by God, the Democratic Party ought not to be doing that to me, and you ought not to be doing it. You've been a part of the policy." To put further pressure on Humphrey, Johnson called up General Creighton Abrams ,

2244-606: A river bed after running short of fuel. A repeat the next day resulted in a classic dogfight with F-100 Super Sabres and F-105s fighting with more MiG-17s. In total, the USAF lost eleven aircraft to air and ground forces, while the VPAF lost three of their fighters. The entire complexion of the American effort was altered on 8 March 1965, when 3,500 U.S. Marines came ashore at Da Nang , ostensibly to defend Da Nang Air Base which

2376-522: A short-term inconvenience for North Vietnam, however, since Hanoi had anticipated just such a campaign and had during that time dispersed the majority of its POL stocks in 190-litre (50 US gal) drums across the length of the country. The POL attacks were halted on 4 September, after U.S. intelligence admitted that there was "no evidence yet of any shortages of POL in North Vietnam." By 24 December 1965, 180 U.S. aircraft had been lost during

2508-557: A small nation like North Vietnam, with a tiny industrial base that was just emerging after the First Indochina War , would be reluctant to risk its new-found economic viability to support the insurgency in the south. Constantly affecting this decision-making process were fears of possible counter moves or outright intervention by the Soviet Union, China, or both. The civilians and the military were divided, however, on

2640-643: A speech by Carl Stokes , the Black mayor of Cleveland , Ohio. Stokes's speech was not shown on live national television as planned, as the networks instead broadcast live the "Battle of Michigan Avenue" that was taking place in front of the Conrad Hilton hotel. Humphrey went on to lose the 1968 presidential election to the Republican Richard Nixon. The convention's host, Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago, intended to showcase his and

2772-523: A strong Johnson supporter, was enthusiastic about having Johnson re-enter. Daley, who was apparently oblivious of the deep antagonism between Johnson and the Kennedy family , favored Senator Ted Kennedy for Johnson's running mate, saying that an "LBJ-TEK" ticket would win easily. Daley was so committed to having Johnson re-enter the race that he had secretly printed up signs reading "We Love LBJ". He also called up Kennedy to discuss his plans, but Kennedy, who

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2904-525: A telephone call to President Johnson on Saturday, September 7, 1968, Daley described some of the activity undertaken by elements of the protesters, which he described as "Professional Trouble Makers". These activities included the burning of the American Flag, raising of the Viet Cong flag and throwing both manure and urine at the police. The Chicago Study Team ( Walker Report ) that investigated

3036-774: A well-known venue across the United States. In December 1981, Joe Frazier had his final boxing match at the Amphitheatre against Floyd Cummings , which resulted in a draw. The arena, which seated 9,000, was the first home of the Chicago Packers of the NBA during 1961–62 , before changing their name to the Chicago Zephyrs and moving to the Chicago Coliseum for their second season. It

3168-401: Is noted for being the site of one of Elvis Presley ’s most notable concerts, on March 28, 1957, with the singer wearing his now legendary gold lamé suit for the first time. On September 5, 1964, and August 12, 1966, The Beatles performed at the Amphitheatre. The 1966 show was the first show of what proved to be their last tour . For eighteen years, the arena was the site of Chicago visits by

3300-673: The Chicago Auto Show for approximately 20 years beginning in the 1940s. Strangely enough, on December 30, 1962, and January 5, 1964, the Chicago Amphitheatre hosted The Southside WinterNationals INDOOR Drag Races. With the smooth concrete floors, Drivers reported it was like racing on ice. It was also reported that after the first races, cases of Coca-Cola syrup were brought in, poured on the floor and allowed to dry overnight. Drivers like Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick, and Mr. Norm from Grand Spaulding Dodge later admitted

3432-638: The Colorado delegation asked: "Is there any rule under which Mayor Daley can be compelled to suspend the police state terror being perpetrated at this minute on kids in front of the Conrad Hilton [hotel]?" Daley's face flushed with anger while his supporters began to boo Maytag. On the convention floor, Senator Abraham Ribicoff rose to give a speech nominating McGovern as the Democratic candidate. During his speech, Ribicoff pointed to Daley and said: "With George McGovern, we wouldn't have Gestapo tactics on

3564-1011: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus . In October 1978, English rock group UFO recorded parts of what would become Strangers in the Night at the International Amphitheatre. Operation Rolling Thunder U.S. : 1,054 killed, wounded or captured 922 aircraft shotdown (excluding the number of aircraft that were badly damaged beyond repair ) South Vietnam : unknown North Vietnam : 20,000 soldiers and 30,000–182,000 civilians killed 85 - 120 aircraft destroyed American intervention 1965 1966 1967 Tet Offensive and aftermath Vietnamization 1969–1971 1972 Post- Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974) Spring 1975 Air operations Naval operations Lists of allied operations Operation Rolling Thunder

3696-646: The South had long voted as a bloc for the Democrats, but in the 1960s many were starting to move away from the Democratic Party. Nixon had embarked on his Southern strategy of wooing conservative Southern whites over to the Republicans , but Wallace, more extreme on racial questions than was possible for Nixon, threatened to preempt the Southern strategy. Johnson had wanted Humphrey to nominate as his running mate

3828-644: The Soviet Union , the People's Republic of China and North Korea . The operation became the most intense air/ground battle waged during the Cold War period; it was the most difficult such campaign fought by the United States since the aerial bombardment of Germany during World War II . Supported by its communist allies, North Vietnam fielded a potent mixture of MiG fighter-interceptor jets and sophisticated air-to-air and surface-to-air weapons that created one of

3960-729: The United Center . The Amphitheatre was also the primary home of the Chicago Cougars of the WHA from 1972 to 1975 . It was originally intended to be only a temporary home for the Cougars, but the permanent solution, the Rosemont Horizon, was not completed until 1980, five years after the team folded and a year after the WHA ceased operation. The International Amphitheatre was the home for Chicago's wrestling scene for years as well as

4092-667: The Vietcong (VC), who were fighting an insurgency to topple the American-supported Saigon government. To combat the VC and to shore up the government in the south, the U.S. initially delivered monetary aid, military advisors, and supplies. Between 1957 and 1963, the U.S. found itself committed, through its acceptance of the policy of containment and belief in the domino theory , to defending South Vietnam from what it saw as expansive communist aggression. U.S. policy

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4224-449: The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy , a candidate in the primary, on June 5. Currently second in delegates at the time of his death to the pro-war Humphrey, the loss of Kennedy saw his committed delegates go for Humphrey over candidate Eugene McCarthy , who had been third in delegates. The Humphrey–Muskie ticket failed to win the confidence of Democratic voters, to unite liberals, or to attract anti-war voters. They were later defeated in

4356-539: The communist insurgency in South Vietnam without sending ground forces into communist North Vietnam; to destroy North Vietnam's transportation system, industrial base, and air defenses; and to halt the flow of men and materiel into South Vietnam. Attainment of these objectives was made difficult by both the restraints imposed upon the U.S. and its allies by Cold War exigencies, and the military aid and assistance received by North Vietnam from its communist allies,

4488-629: The presidential election by the " silent majority " Republican ticket of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew . The Democratic Party , which controlled the House , the Senate , and the White House in 1968 , was divided. Senator Eugene McCarthy entered the campaign in November 1967, challenging incumbent President Lyndon Johnson for the Democratic nomination. Senator Robert F. Kennedy entered

4620-560: The "Festival of Life" in Lincoln Park, but the police confiscated the truck upon which a rock band was to play. The demonstrators and police began shouting insults at each other while the police fired tear gas into the crowd and beat up the photographers and journalists present. Tom Hayden , one of the leaders of the SDS and co-organizer of the protests, was arrested. The next day, what was billed as "Unbirthday Party" for President Johnson

4752-577: The Air Force high command foresaw that the war would drag on for nearly a decade. The Air Force did possess an aircraft which had an all-weather capability, radar-guided bombing equipment and considerable destructive potential—the B-52 Stratofortress . The civilian administration, however, never considered utilizing the large bombers (whose operations remained under the control of the Strategic Air Command ) very far north of

4884-522: The Amphitheatre proved to be an unsatisfactory home venue to the team. The team had faced attendance as low as 500 spectators while playing at the facility. The sprawling venue was difficult to maintain and struggled to attract enough large events to pay for its own upkeep. It was eventually sold to promoters Cardenas & Fernandez and then the City of Chicago, which had no more success at attracting events than its previous owner. In August 1999, demolition of

5016-515: The Amphitheatre ushered in an era where Chicago reigned as a convention capital. In an era before air conditioning and space for the press and broadcast media were commonplace, the International Amphitheatre was among the first arenas to be equipped with these innovations. The Stock Yards closed in 1971, but the Amphitheatre remained open, hosting rock concerts, college basketball and IHSA playoff games, circuses, religious gatherings, and other events. The shift of many conventions and trade shows to

5148-460: The Chinese or Soviets. Westmoreland referred to "an almost paranoid fear of nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union" and a "phobia" that the Chinese would invade. Johnson later noted: By keeping a lid on all the designated targets, I knew I could keep the control of the war in my own hands. If China reacted to our slow escalation by threatening to retaliate, we'd have plenty of time to ease off

5280-574: The DMZ, believing that it was too overt an escalation. Air Force Chief of Staff John P. McConnell also opposed sending the bombers into the air defense environment in the north and limited B-52 strikes to Route Package One. Compounding these issues was the one-year rotation policy adopted by the Pentagon in Southeast Asia. Although the first aircrews arriving in-theater were highly experienced,

5412-549: The DRV under their control." To complicate matters, the U.S. ambassadors to Thailand ( Graham Martin ) and Laos ( William H. Sullivan ) exerted undue influence over operational and command arrangements. This bizarre command structure went against the grain of the Air Force's single air manager concept, which dictated that one commander was to control and coordinate all aircraft within a combat theater. The chain through which operational strike requests had to flow gave some indication of

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5544-795: The International Amphitheatre began. An Aramark Uniform Services plant is located on the site once occupied by the Amphitheatre. The original primary purpose of the arena was to host the North American International Livestock Exposition . This event would be held at the arena until several years after the Union Stock Yards closed in July 1971, when it left for Louisville , Kentucky . The Amphitheatre hosted several national American presidential nominating conventions, with an overall record of 1-4: The 1952 Republican National Convention had

5676-448: The International Amphitheatre where the convention was being held. At approximately 3:30 p.m., a young man lowered the American flag that was in the park. The police broke through the crowd and began beating the young man, while the crowd pelted the police with food, rocks, and chunks of concrete. The chants of some of the protesters shifted from, "Hell no, we won't go!" to, "Pigs are whores!" Hayden encouraged protesters to move out of

5808-594: The North Vietnamese promise to close the Ho Chi Minh Trail as the price of a bombing pause, a demand the North Vietnamese rejected. Vice President Humphrey, confronted with a divided party, attempted to craft a party platform that would appeal to both factions, calling for a bombing pause that "took into account, most importantly, the risk to American troops as well as the response from Hanoi ." Humphrey's platform tacitly implied that he would order

5940-730: The Region to advance to the Final Four played in Florida. The Loyola Ramblers basketball team were tenants of the venue during their 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons, but faced poor attendance at the aging facility. Notable performers who held shows at the venue included Dale Evans and Roy Rogers , Evel Knievel , The Rolling Stones , Frank Sinatra , Led Zeppelin , The Who , Pink Floyd , AC/DC , Black Sabbath , Santana , Ike & Tina Turner , Grateful Dead , Van Halen , Aerosmith , UFO , Selena and The Jackson 5 . The Amphitheatre

6072-497: The U.S. administration and military leadership as to the best method by which Hanoi (the perceived locus of the insurgency) could be dissuaded from its course of action. The answer seemed to lie in the application of air power. By 1964 most of the civilians surrounding President Lyndon B. Johnson shared the Joint Chiefs of Staff 's collective faith in the efficacy of strategic bombing to one degree or another. They reasoned that

6204-416: The U.S. promised to unconditionally cease bombing, as the talks floundered on that issue through the spring, summer and fall of 1968. After Robert Kennedy's assassination on June 5 , the Democratic Party's divisions grew. At the moment of Kennedy's death the delegate count stood at Humphrey 561.5, Kennedy 393.5, McCarthy 258. Kennedy's murder left his delegates uncommitted. Support within the Democratic Party

6336-642: The Yippies paraded Pigasus at the Civic Center, ten policemen arrested Ochs, Rubin, Pigasus, and six others, attracting media attention. A peaceful demonstration was held in Lincoln Park led by Rubin and Hoffman, with the Yippie leaders calling the demonstrators to respect the 11   pm curfew. The Beatnik poet Allen Ginsberg ended the demonstration by chanting "Om". The next day was supposed to be

6468-490: The air war turned out to be the Navy-developed AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow , not its own AIM-4 Falcon . The Air Force continuously opposed adapting to the war in Southeast Asia, since its leadership believed that it was an aberration that would be quickly resolved. It could then turn its attention (and its more modern weapons) against the greater threat posed by the Soviet Union. None in

6600-469: The aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 , cruising off the North Vietnamese coast at Yankee Station . Naval aircraft, which had shorter ranges (and carried lighter bomb loads) than their air force counterparts, approached their targets from seaward with the majority of their strikes flown against coastal targets. On 3 April the Joint Chiefs persuaded McNamara and Johnson to launch a four-week attack on North Vietnam's lines of communication, which would isolate

6732-416: The areas where confrontations were occurring. The Walker Report, "headed by an independent observer from Los Angeles police – concluded that: 'Individual policemen, and lots of them, committed violent acts far in excess of the requisite force for crowd dispersal or arrest. To read dispassionately the hundreds of statements describing at firsthand the events of Sunday and Monday nights is to become convinced of

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6864-693: The bombing was halted; the U.S. had removed all of its troops from the south; the Saigon government recognized the demands of the VC, and it was agreed that the reunification of Vietnam would be settled by the Vietnamese themselves. As part of a large attack on the Thanh Hóa Bridge on 3 April, the VPAF first appeared as two flights of four Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17s launched from Noi Bai airbase and shot down an F-8 Crusader , while losing just one of their own aircraft, written off when it landed on

6996-508: The bombing. But this control—so essential for preventing World War III—would be lost the moment we unleashed a total assault on the North—for that would be rape rather than seduction—and then there would be no turning back. The Chinese reaction would be instant and total. For a time, no overt action was taken, and the plans continued to evolve. A further refinement of the plan was developed by William and McGeorge Bundy on 29 November 1964, with

7128-483: The campaign (85 Air Force, 94 Navy and one Marine Corps). Eight RVNAF aircraft had also been lost. Air Force aircrews had flown 25,971 sorties and dropped 32,063 tons of bombs. Naval aviators had flown 28,168 sorties and dropped 11,144 tons. The RVNAF had contributed 682 missions with unknown ordnance tonnages. Rolling Thunder exposed many problems within the American military services committed to it and tended to exacerbate others. A key interservice issue (and one which

7260-412: The campaign, were also off-limits. Although some of these restrictions were later loosened or rescinded, Johnson (with McNamara's support) kept a tight rein on the campaign, which continuously infuriated the American military commanders, right-wing members of Congress, and even some within the administration itself. One of the primary objectives of the operation, at least to the military, should have been

7392-560: The city's achievements to national Democrats and the news media. Instead, the proceedings became notorious for the large number of demonstrators and the use of force by the Chicago police during what was supposed to be, in the words of Yippie activist organizers, "A Festival of Life." Crowd control against the demonstrators by the Chicago Police Department and the Illinois National Guard devolved into

7524-424: The closure of Haiphong and other ports by aerial mining, thereby slowing or halting the flow of seaborne supplies entering the north. Johnson refused to take such a provocative action, however, and such an operation was not implemented until 1972. There was also little consultation between Johnson and the military chiefs during the target selection process. Even the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Earle Wheeler ,

7656-465: The clout which would allow him to bring out the voters again to produce a Democratic victory as he had in 1960. President Johnson had wanted the Democratic convention to be held in Houston , but Daley had successfully lobbied the president to hold it in Chicago to showcase to the national media Daley's successes in his fifteen years as mayor. On October 7, 1967, Daley and Johnson had a private meeting at

7788-551: The commander of the U.S. forces in Vietnam, to ask if a complete bombing pause would endanger the lives of American soldiers; Abrams, unaware of the intra-Democratic dispute, wrote back that it would. Johnson gave a copy to Hale Boggs , chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), who in turn showed it to various leading delegates to show how reckless and "unpatriotic" Humphrey was in contemplating

7920-515: The complaints that Black Americans (and in the case of the Texas delegation, Mexican-Americans ) had been systematically excluded. Though Johnson had publicly dropped out of the presidential election, he entertained thoughts of re-entering it. He sent his friend, Texas Governor John Connally , to meet with other souther Democratic governors attending the convention to inquire if they would be willing to support nominating Johnson after all. Mayor Daley,

8052-528: The conservative white Southern voters there was no realistic opportunity for him to appeal to that group. In 1948, Humphrey, at that time the mayor of Minneapolis , had first come to national attention when he delivered a speech at the 1948 Democratic National Convention denouncing racial injustices in the South. However, over the protests of liberals, Humphrey did not resist Johnson's decision to seat several all-white delegations from several Southern states despite

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8184-622: The convention led to significant changes in the rules governing delegate selection, ushering in the modern primary election system. The year 1968 was a time of riots, political turbulence, and mass civil unrest . The assassination of Martin Luther King in April of that year, following his opposition to the Vietnam War, further inflamed racial tensions, and protest riots in more than 100 cities followed. The convention also followed

8316-505: The convention's host, Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago. The keynote speaker was Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Before the start of the convention on August 26, several states had competing slates of delegates attempting to be seated at the convention. Some of these delegate credential fights went to the floor of the convention on August 26, where votes were held to determine which slates of delegates representing Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina would be seated at

8448-451: The convention. The more racially integrated challenging slate from Texas was defeated. Within the convention, tensions arose between pro-war and anti-war Democrats. One of the principal issues at the peace talks in Paris was the North Vietnamese demand that the U.S. unconditionally cease bombing North Vietnam before discussing any other matters. The more dovish Democrats favored the North Vietnamese demand while more hawkish Democrats demanded

8580-467: The country from its overland sources of supply in China and the Soviet Union. About one-third of the North's imports came down the Hanoi–Lào Cai railway from China, while the remaining two-thirds came by sea through Haiphong and other ports. For the first time in the campaign, targets were to be chosen for their military, rather than their psychological, significance. During the four weeks, 26 bridges and seven ferries were destroyed. Other targets included

8712-423: The demonstrations or not. Dick Gregory , the comedian who attended the protests, told the crowd that the police were merely following the orders of Daley and "the crooks downtown". The MOBE leaders then decided to march down Michigan Avenue to the Conrad Hilton hotel, where many of the Democratic delegates were staying. The Illinois National Guard guarding the hotel fired tear gas while the police moved in to beat

8844-439: The demonstrators. The police assault in front of the hotel during the evening of August 28 became the most famous image of the Chicago demonstrations of 1968, as the entire event took place live under television lights for seventeen minutes while the crowd chanted, " The whole world is watching ". Samuel Brown , one of the organizers for Senator McCarthy, lamented the violence, saying: "Instead of nice young people ringing doorbells,

8976-405: The distinction of being the first political convention broadcast live by television coast to coast, with special studio facilities provided for all the major networks. The 1968 Democratic National Convention was one of the most tumultuous political conventions in American history, noted by anti-war protests . Televised boxing and wrestling events were held at the venue for decades, making it

9108-435: The election. Humphrey also complained that the convention had been held in late August to coincide with Johnson's birthday, which cost him a month to organize, preferring to have the convention held in July. Complicating the election was the third party candidacy of Alabama governor George Wallace , who ran on a white supremacist platform promising to undo the changes of the Civil Rights Movement . Conservative whites in

9240-499: The end of 1965. Eventually, armed reconnaissance missions constituted 75 percent of the total bombing effort, in part because the system through which fixed targets were requested, selected, and authorized was so complicated and unwieldy. If Rolling Thunder was supposed to "send signals" to Hanoi to desist in its actions, it did not seem to be working. On 8 April, responding to requests for peace negotiations, North Vietnamese premier Pham Van Dong stated that they could only begin when:

9372-431: The evening, a demonstration was held at Grant Park opposite the Hilton Hotel, which was peaceful as bands such as Peter, Paul and Mary played folk music. When 600 Illinois National Guardsmen appeared, Hayden, who had been bailed out a second time, picked up his megaphone to shout that everybody should go home. On August 28, 1968, around 10,000 protesters gathered in Grant Park for the demonstration, intending to march to

9504-572: The extensive North Vietnamese radar system, barracks, and ammunition depots. The panhandle of southern North Vietnam remained the primary focus of operations, and total sorties flown there rose from 3,600 in April to 4,000 in May. Slowly moving away from the destruction of fixed targets, "armed reconnaissance" missions, in which small formations of aircraft patrolled highways, railroads, and rivers, searching for targets of opportunity, were authorized. These missions increased from two to 200 sorties per week by

9636-522: The growing overcomplexity of the campaign. Requests for airstrikes originated with the 2nd Air Division and Task Force 77 in Vietnam and then proceeded to CINCPAC, who in turn reported to his superiors, the Joint Chiefs, at the Pentagon . After input from the State Department and the CIA, the requests then proceeded to the White House , where the president and his "Tuesday Cabinet" made decisions on

9768-447: The hall. We ... I'm sorry to be out of breath, but somebody belted me in the stomach during that. What happened is a Georgia delegate, at least he had a Georgia delegate sign on, was being hauled out of the hall. We tried to talk to him to see why, who he was, what the situation was, and at that instant the security people, well as you can see, put me on the deck. I didn't do very well." An angry Cronkite tersely replied, "I think we've got

9900-508: The head of the North Vietnamese delegation, demanded that the U.S. give a promise to unconditionally stop bombing North Vietnam, a demand rejected by W. Averell Harriman of the American delegation. From the start of the bombing under Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965, the North Vietnamese had demanded the U.S. unconditionally halt the bombing as the first step towards peace. It soon became apparent that no progress would be possible in Paris until

10032-477: The inception of the operation, believing that to deny North Vietnam its POL would cause its military effort to grind to a halt. At first, the strikes appeared highly successful, destroying tank farms near Hanoi and Haiphong and leading the CIA to estimate that 70 percent of North Vietnam's oil facilities had been destroyed for the loss of 43 aircraft. The loss of the oil storage tank farms and refineries proved to be only

10164-524: The lack of permits and threats of violence by the Chicago police made this unlikely to happen. Todd Gitlin, another SDS leader, was highly worried about the potential for violence, and at a speech paraphrased a lyric from " San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) ", saying: "If you're going to Chicago, be sure to wear some armor in your hair". Chicago mayor Daley thought that one way to prevent "anti-patriotic" demonstrators from coming to Chicago

10296-413: The majority of Americans would side with them over what had happened in Chicago, especially because of police behavior. The controversy over the war in Vietnam overshadowed their cause. Daley shared he had received 135,000 letters supporting his actions and only 5,000 condemning them. Public opinion polls demonstrated that the majority of Americans supported the mayor's tactics. It was often commented through

10428-742: The majority of the Air Force's strikes in North Vietnam), had a dual command structure. It reported to the Seventh on operational matters and to the Thirteenth Air Force (whose headquarters was in the Philippines ) for logistical and administrative concerns. These command and control complexities grew even more tangled with the division of the aerial effort into four competing operational areas (those in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and Laos (both north and south). The Navy's Task Force 77 took its orders via 7th Fleet from CINCPAC ,

10560-535: The manner of affecting Hanoi's will to support the southern insurgency. The civilians thought in terms of changing the regime's behavior while the military men were more concerned with breaking its will. In August 1964, as a result of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident , in which U.S. naval vessels were attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats, Johnson ordered retaliatory air strikes ( Operation Pierce Arrow ) launched against

10692-619: The media that the anti-war demonstrators were "revolutionaries bent on the destruction of America". When the media reported that Daley had given orders to the police to restrict the activities of Democratic delegates loyal to McCarthy, Daley gave an outraged press conference saying, "This is a vicious attack on this city and its mayor". The leaders of the Yippies ( Youth International Party ), Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin , specialized in outlandish, bizarre rhetoric to provoke media attention, and Daley took many of their outrageous threats seriously. Daley's heavy-handed security measures incensed

10824-490: The media. Walter Cronkite complained of "a totally unwarranted restriction of free and rapid access to information". With the convention taking place days after the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia , Eric Sevareid stated that Chicago "runs the city of Prague a close second right now as the world's least attractive tourist destination". On the second night of the convention, CBS News correspondent Dan Rather

10956-573: The more modern and more conveniently located lakefront McCormick Place convention center, during the 1960s and 1970s, began the International Amphitheatre's decline, which continued with the opening of other convention and concert venues in the suburbs drawing more events away. By the 1980s, the venue was struggling due to competition from large facilities such as the Chicago Stadium , Rosemont Horizon , Arie Crown Theater , Alpine Valley Music Theatre , Holiday Star Theatre , UIC Pavilion , and

11088-484: The most effective air defenses ever faced by American military aviators. The limited effectiveness of the operation and the pursuit of peace talks led to the scaling back of the operation in March 1968 and its cancellation in November 1968. In response to President Ngo Dinh Diem 's abrogation of the 1956 reunification election and suppression of communists during the late 1950s, Hanoi had begun sending arms and materiel to

11220-726: The mostly black neighborhoods of South Chicago to stage mass arrests of the Blackstone Rangers , a black power group that was allegedly planning to assassinate Humphrey. The leaders of the Yippies ( Youth International Party ), Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin , attempted to provoke authorities by proclaiming: "We are dirty, smelly, grimy and foul...we will piss and shit and fuck in public...we will be constantly stoned or tripping on every drug known to man". Surrounded by reporters on August 23, 1968, Yippie leader Rubin, folk singer Phil Ochs , and other activists held their own convention with their candidate Pigasus, an actual pig. When

11352-513: The neighborhood. Ten thousand demonstrators gathered in Chicago for the convention, where they were met by 23,000 police and National Guardsmen. When asked about anti-war demonstrators, Daley repeated to reporters that "no thousands will come to our city and take over our streets, our city, our convention". Daley later said his primary reason for calling in so many Guardsmen and police was reports he received of plots to assassinate Democratic Party leaders including himself. One of Daley's aides told

11484-590: The north. This did not, however, satisfy the military chiefs, who demanded a wider and more aggressive campaign. In March 1964 the Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC) began developing plans for a sustained eight-week air campaign designed to escalate in three stages. This was published at the end of August as CINCPAC OPLAN 37–64, which included the "94 target list". Bridges, rail yards, docks, barracks and supply dumps were all targeted, and selected based on

11616-737: The park to ensure that if the police used tear gas on them, it would have to be done throughout the city. The police regained control of the situation after firing tear gas and chased the demonstrators down the streets, beating them with clubs and rifle butts and arresting them. The amount of tear gas used to suppress the protesters was so great that it made its way to the Conrad Hilton, where it disturbed Humphrey while in his shower. The police sprayed demonstrators and bystanders with mace and were taunted by some protesters with chants of, "Kill, kill, kill!" The police responded by shouting, "Get out of here, you cocksuckers!". Police indiscriminately attacked all who were present, regardless of if they were involved in

11748-434: The part of the North Vietnamese, but was intended as a larger response to the growing hostilities as a whole. Although some within the administration believed that the campaign would be costly, and that it might not work, they reasoned that it was "an acceptable risk, especially when considered against the alternative of introducing American combat troops." Rolling Thunder called for an eight-week air campaign consistent with

11880-539: The past and is therefore attuned to holding them." The conversation between Johnson and Daley was leaked to the press and published in the Chicago Tribune and several other papers. Daley ruled Chicago with a tight grip, and was determined to stop the protests which threatened to ruin his moment of triumph. In preparation, Daley had walls erected along the roads to the Amphitheatre through his own neighborhood of Bridgeport to obscure from sight rundown housing in

12012-401: The platform. All of it was captured live on national television. Pro-war Democrats challenged the presence of the economist John Kenneth Galbraith , who was serving as the floor manager for McCarthy, and sought to have him expelled. Inside the convention hall were televisions showing the police beating and clubbing demonstrators outside, which increased the tension. Robert Maytag, the chairman of

12144-616: The popular media that on that evening, America decided to vote for Richard Nixon. International Amphitheatre The venue opened on November 30, 1934. It had been built for $ 1.5 million by the Stock Yard company and was principally built to host the International Livestock Exhibition. The arena replaced Dexter Park , a horse-racing track that had stood on the site for over 50 years until its destruction by fire on April 18, 1934. The completion of

12276-415: The port of Haiphong . A thirty-mile buffer zone also extended along the length of the Chinese frontier. According to U.S. Air Force historian Earl Tilford: Targeting bore little resemblance to reality in that the sequence of attacks was uncoordinated and the targets were approved randomly—even illogically. The North's airfields, which, according to any rational targeting policy, should have been hit first in

12408-432: The presence of what can only be called a police riot . ' " According to The Guardian , "[a]fter four days and nights of violence, 668 people had been arrested, 425 demonstrators were treated at temporary medical facilities, 200 were treated on the spot, 400 given first aid for tear gas exposure and 110 went to hospital. A total of 192 police officers were injured." After the Chicago protests, some demonstrators believed

12540-560: The presidential race , Johnson also announced the United States would stop bombing North Vietnam north of the 19th parallel and was willing to open peace talks. On April 27 Vice President Hubert Humphrey entered the race but did not compete in any primaries; instead he inherited the delegates previously pledged to Johnson and then collected delegates in caucus states, especially in caucuses controlled by local Democratic bosses . Vietnam War peace talks had begun in Paris on May 13, 1968, but almost immediately became deadlocked as Xuan Thuy,

12672-525: The proceedings, going so far as to have the Federal Bureau of Investigation illegally tap Humphrey's telephones to find out his plans. Humphrey previewed his platform to two of Johnson's more hawkish advisers, Secretary of State Dean Rusk and National Security Advisor Walt Whitman Rostow . Rostow very reluctantly gave his approval while Rusk told Humphrey, "We can live with this, Hubert." Johnson angrily rejected Humphrey's compromise peace plank as

12804-545: The public saw the image of mobs shouting obscenities and disrupting the city". Brown stated the demonstrations at Chicago had been a disaster for the anti-war movement, as the American people saw the protesters as the trouble-makers and the heavy-handed police response as justified. The general feeling at the time was the hippies were intent upon destroying everything good in America and the Chicago police had acted correctly in beating such dangerous anti-social types bloody. In

12936-511: The race in March 1968. Johnson, facing dissent within his party, never entered the 1968 race but won the New Hampshire presidential primary in March 1968 as a write-in candidate; he then announced on March 31 that he would not seek re-election. The Wisconsin primary was scheduled for April 2, and public opinion polls showed Johnson as third in the race, behind McCarthy and Kennedy. In his television address announcing his withdrawal from

13068-438: The rapidly growing tempo and ever-expanding length of the operation demanded more personnel. This exacerbated a growing lack of experienced aircrews. This dilemma was further compounded by an Air Force policy which dictated universal pilot training while proscribing involuntary second combat tours, which combined, had the effect of rotating personnel to different aircraft. Conversely, the Navy tended to maintain its aircrews within

13200-474: The renovated Chicago Theatre . In the late 1970s, developer Harry Chaddick proposed replacing the arena with a large shopping center , but these plans were killed after Mayor Michael Bilandic revoked his support for the project after residents and politicians of the Canaryville and Bridgeport neighborhoods complained that such a development would attract both intense vehicular traffic and draw over

13332-413: The residents from nearby Chicago Housing Authority projects. After an automobile swap show in March 1983, the venue closed its doors. This was widely seen as an end for the venue. It was sold to new ownership for a mere $ 250,000 and sat dormant for three years. During plans were floated to convert the venue into a sound stage . However, on November 28, 1987, the International Amphitheatre reopened with

13464-410: The restrictions imposed by that Johnson and Secretary of Defense McNamara. If the insurgency continued "with DRV support, strikes against the DRV would be extended with intensified efforts against targets north of the 19th parallel." It was believed that selective pressure, controlled by Washington, combined with diplomatic overtures, would prevail and compel Hanoi to end its aggression. The military

13596-522: The same community for the duration of their careers, thereby retaining their expertise, but also incurring greater losses among experienced crews undergoing multiple combat tours. Another factor was the weather within the operational theater. The cyclical monsoon patterns meant that the weather was deplorable for flight operations eight months of the year (from late September to early May) when rain and fog tended to conceal targets. Lack of adequate all-weather and night-bombing capability made it necessary for

13728-483: The same day, 19 RVNAF A-1 Skyraiders struck the Quang Khe Naval Base . The Americans were shocked when six of their aircraft were shot down during the mission. Five of the downed crewmen were rescued, but it was a portent of things to come. Under the doctrine of "gradualism", in which threatening destruction would serve as a more influential signal of American determination than destruction itself, it

13860-439: The southern battlefield were either cut back or canceled. On 5 April 1965, U.S. reconnaissance discovered that the construction of North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile (SAM) launching sites. Washington refused to allow the Air Force and Navy to attack the sites since most were near the restricted urban areas. Then, on 24 July, an McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was shot down by a SA-2 Guideline missile. Three days later,

13992-509: The southern region of the country, where the bulk of North Vietnam's ground forces and supply dumps were located. These actions led to the plans for a sustained air campaign being reconsidered. On 13 February a new plan was approved and given the name "Rolling Thunder", merging targets and priorities from the lists produced by the Bundys and the JCS. This campaign was not aimed at specific actions on

14124-422: The streets of Chicago," as raucous dissension broke out. Daley rose up to scream at Ribicoff (as interpreted by lip readers): "Fuck you, you Jew son of bitch! You lousy motherfucker! Go home!" Ribicoff mildly replied: "How hard it is to accept the truth. How hard it is." Four of Daley's Chicago officials jumped up to usher Ribicoff away, helped by Daley's bodyguards. Defenders of the mayor would later claim that he

14256-506: The strike forces would either fly directly back to Thailand or exit over the relatively safe waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. It was quickly decided that, in order to limit airspace conflicts between air force and naval strike forces, North Vietnam was divided into six target regions called " route packages ", each of which was assigned to either the Air Force or Navy and into which the other was forbidden to intrude. Naval strikes were launched from

14388-490: The strike requests on a weekly basis. Another problem exposed by Rolling Thunder was the unpreparedness of the Air Force for the operations it was undertaking. Its aircraft had been designed and its pilots trained for strategic operations against the Soviet Union—for nuclear, not conventional war. The new campaign exposed years of neglect in conventional tactics, while aircraft capabilities and armament were ill-suited to

14520-713: The syrup did little to help traction. Staging was outside in the Chicago - January cold. Drivers did as many as 5 "burnouts" just to heat the rear tires. The shutdown area involved a sharp turn and wall that claimed more than a few of the entries. On March 13–14, 1976, the Midwest Regional of the North American Soccer League 's 1976 Indoor tournament was hosted by the Chicago Sting at the Amphitheater. The Rochester Lancers won

14652-492: The task at hand. The Air Force was also embarrassed by the fact that the Navy was better prepared. It possessed the only all-weather bomber in the U.S. inventory in the new A-6 Intruder and was also responsible for the development of the F-4 Phantom fighter-bomber, which became ubiquitous during the Vietnam War. Once air-to-air combat began over North Vietnam, the Air Force was again found lacking. The mainstay missiles of

14784-508: The violent clashes between police and protesters at the convention stated that the police response was characterized by: unrestrained and indiscriminate police violence on many occasions, particularly at night. That violence was made all the more shocking by the fact that it was often inflicted upon persons who had broken no law, disobeyed no order, made no threat. These included peaceful demonstrators, onlookers, and large numbers of residents who were simply passing through, or happened to live in,

14916-509: Was a gradual and sustained aerial bombardment campaign conducted by the United States (U.S.) 2nd Air Division (later Seventh Air Force ), U.S. Navy , and Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) against North Vietnam from 2 March 1965 until 2 November 1968, during the Vietnam War . The four objectives of the operation (which evolved over time) were to boost the morale of South Vietnam ; to persuade North Vietnam to cease its support for

15048-631: Was also the home of the Chicago Bulls during their inaugural season of 1966–67 ; they also played only one game in the Chicago Coliseum, a playoff game in their first season, as no other arena was available for a game versus the St. Louis Hawks . Afterwards, the Bulls then moved permanently to Chicago Stadium, where they remained until 1994 , when they moved to their current home court at

15180-437: Was among the most tense and confrontational political conventions in American history, and became notorious for the televised heavy-handed police tactics of the host, Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago. The most contentious issues were the continuing American military involvement in the Vietnam War , and expanding the right to vote to draft-age soldiers by lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years old. Dissatisfaction with

15312-769: Was being held, ringed with barbed wire while putting the 11,000 officers of the Chicago Police Department on twelve-hour shifts. In addition, there were 6,000 armed men from the Illinois National Guard called up to guard the International Amphitheatre, adding up to a total of 23,000 police and National Guardsmen. Intelligence agents had infiltrated among the protesters, including some from the Central Intelligence Agency , who – contrary to American law – had been sent to spy upon domestic politics. The Chicago police raided

15444-685: Was calling Ribicoff a faker, a charge denied by Daley and refuted by Mike Royko 's reporting. In 1968, the Yippies and the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE) had already begun planning a youth festival in Chicago to coincide with the convention, and other groups such as the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) would also make their presence known. Two SDS leaders, Tom Hayden and Rennie Davis , had planned to keep their protests peaceful, although

15576-446: Was committed to prosecuting Rolling Thunder. The mission of the ground forces was expanded to combat operations, and the aerial campaign became a secondary operation, overwhelmed by troop deployments and the escalation of ground operations in South Vietnam. Until the third week of April, Rolling Thunder had enjoyed at least equal status with air missions conducted in the south. After that time, strikes that interfered with requirements for

15708-434: Was divided between McCarthy, who ran a decidedly anti-war campaign and was seen as the peace candidate; Humphrey, who was seen as the candidate representing the more hawkish Johnson point of view; and Senator George McGovern , who appealed to some of Kennedy's supporters. When Vice President Humphrey arrived in Chicago, Daley was not at the airport to greet him, instead sending a police bagpipe band to welcome him. As Humphrey

15840-538: Was driven to the Conrad Hilton hotel , he noticed that no one in the streets cheered him, in marked contrast to the arrival of McCarthy, who had been greeted by 5,000 cheering supporters. The convention was among the most tense and confrontational political conventions ever in American history, marked by fierce debate and protest over the Vietnam peace talks and controversy over the heavy-handed police tactics of

15972-478: Was for a time dictated by its perception of improvement in the Saigon government. No further commitment by the Americans would occur without tangible proof of the regime's survivability. Events in South Vietnam, however, outpaced this plan. By the beginning of 1965, the policy was reversed in the belief that without further American action the Saigon government could not survive. As late as 8 February, however, in

16104-403: Was grabbed by security guards and roughed up while trying to interview a Georgia delegate being escorted out of the building. CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite turned his attention towards the area where Rather was reporting from the convention floor. Rather was grabbed by security guards after he walked toward the delegate who was being hauled out, and asked him, "What is your name, sir?" Rather

16236-460: Was not present for most of the critical discussions of 1965 and participated only occasionally thereafter. The majority of strikes during Rolling Thunder were launched from four air bases in Thailand : Korat , Takhli , Udorn , and Ubon . The aircraft refueled from aerial tankers over Laos before flying on to their targets in the DRV. After attacking their targets (usually by dive-bombing )

16368-604: Was not solved until 1968) was the command and control arrangement in Southeast Asia. The USAF's 2nd Air Division (replaced by the Seventh Air Force on 1 April 1966) was ostensibly responsible for aerial operations over North and South Vietnam. It was subordinate, however, to MACV and its commander, U.S. Army General William C. Westmoreland , who tended to see his problems centered in the south. The U.S. Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force , based in Thailand (which carried out

16500-641: Was passed, the delegation from New York put on black armbands and began to sing " We Shall Overcome " in protest. Humphrey later stated that his biggest mistake of the election was to give in to Johnson, contending that if he stuck to his original platform it would have shown his independence and given him a lead in the polls. Humphrey always believed that if he had given his planned speech (which he instead gave in Salt Lake City on September 30, 1968) calling for an unconditional bombing pause of North Vietnam as "an acceptable risk for peace", that he would have won

16632-428: Was perceived to be the result of Johnson and Daley influencing behind the scenes. Humphrey, who had not entered any of the thirteen state primary elections, won the Democratic nomination shortly after midnight, and many delegates shouted, "No! No!" when his victory was announced. The nomination was watched by 89 million Americans. As a sign of racial reconciliation, Humphrey had intended for his nomination to be seconded by

16764-493: Was planned to be held in Lincoln Park. Hayden, who had been freed on bail after his arrest the previous day, attended the "Unbirthday Party". He was recognized by a policeman, Constable Ralph Bell, who beat him and then arrested him for violating his bail conditions. Also attending the "Unbirthday Party" were Rubin and Bobby Seale of the Black Panther Party , who both called for "roasting pigs" in their speeches. In

16896-476: Was seriously depressed after the assassination of his brother Robert, was not interested. It remains unclear if Johnson was serious about re-entering, or if he was merely using the prospect as a threat to control Humphrey. In the end, Connally's polling found the general feeling about the plan to be "No way!" In the end, the Democratic Party nominated Humphrey. The delegates had defeated the peace plank by 1,567 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 1,041 + 1 ⁄ 4 . The loss

17028-481: Was still not satisfied, since, for the time being, the bombing campaign was to be limited to targets below the 19th parallel, each of which would have to be cleared individually by the President and McNamara. The first mission of the new operation was launched on 2 March against an ammunition storage area near Xom Bang carried out by a strike package of 104 US aircraft containing B-57s , F-105s , and F-100s . On

17160-460: Was thought better to hold important targets "hostage" by bombing trivial ones. From the beginning of Rolling Thunder, Washington dictated which targets would be struck, the day and hour of the attack, the number, and types of aircraft and the tonnages and types of ordnance utilized, and sometimes even the direction of the attack. Airstrikes were strictly forbidden within 30 nautical miles (60 km) of Hanoi and within 10 nautical miles (20 km) of

17292-406: Was to refuse to grant permits which would allow for people to protest legally. The mayor announced restrictions on how close protestors could approach the convention, on their numbers, and on their activities, making very clear his hostility to protesters in his city. Over 10,000 people had arrived in Chicago to protest the Vietnam War. Daley had the International Amphitheatre , where the convention

17424-439: Was wearing a microphone headset and was then heard on national television repeatedly saying to the guards "don't push me" and "take your hands off me unless you plan to arrest me". After the guards let go of Rather, he told Cronkite: "Walter ... we tried to talk to the man and we got violently pushed out of the way. This is the kind of thing that has been going on outside the hall, this is the first time we've had it happen inside

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