(Thursday, May 21, 1868) — General Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois, the Union commander in the American Civil War and the Commanding General of the United States Army since 1864, was unanimously nominated for President unopposed on the first ballot today at the 1868 Republican National Convention meeting at Crosby’s Opera House in Chicago. Continue reading Republicans nominate Grant-Colfax ticket 150 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 21 1868)
Video: 'April RDTV Part One The 1968 Oregon Primary' (May 18, 1968, at 19:36)
(Saturday, May 18, 1968, shortly before 2:00 PDT; during the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 1968) — Senator Robert F.Kennedy, seeking the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, told 6,500 people today at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, that the Vietnam War “will not the settle the fate of Asia and it will not settle the fate of America, much less, the fate of the world.” Continue reading RFK campaigns in Eugene, Oregon 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 18 1968)
Video: 'Dewey Stassen Debate (1948) First Presidential Election Debate'
(Monday, May 17, 1948, 6:00 p.m. PST/10:00 p.m. EDT; during the Republican Party presidential primaries, 1948) — New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and former Minnesota Governor Harold Stassen discussed the legal status of the Communist Party of the U.S. during the first audio-recorded presidential debate to ever take place in the United States tonight in Portland, four days before the 1948 Oregon Republican presidential primary. Continue reading First audio-recorded presidential debate in U.S. held 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 17 1948)
Videos: 'YOU ARE THERE: THE IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT ANDREW JOHNSON - OLD TIME RADIO'
(Saturday, May 16, 1868, vote began at 12:30 p.m. local time) — The U.S. Senate today failed to find President Andrew Johnson guilty of “high crimes and misdemeanors” over his attempted dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, voting 35–19 on the first of 11 articles of impeachment, one vote short of the necessary two-thirds majority needed to convict. Continue reading President Andrew Johnson acquitted 150 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 16 1868)
Video: 'Nixon' (May 15, 1958, at 1:48)
(Thursday, May 15, 1958, 11:59 a.m. EDT) — Vice President Richard Nixon received a hero’s welcome today from President Dwight D. Eisenhower and other well-wishers on his return to Washington from a violence-marred tour of Latin America. Continue reading 100,000 welcome Nixon back from stormy tour 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 15 1958)
Video: '68 The Year Nebraska Mattered' (May 14, 1968, at 44:54)
(Tuesday, May 14, 1968, polls closed at 10:00 p.m. EDT; during the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 1968) — Senator Robert F. Kennedy won his second presidential test tonight in the Nebraska Democratic primary, defeating Senator Eugene McCarthy by a margin of 52 to 31 percent. Continue reading Bobby Kennedy wins Nebraska primary 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 14 1968)
Video: 'KEVU April Part 2 1968 Oregon Primary RDTV' (May 14, 1968, at 11:09)
(Tuesday, May 14, 1968; during the Republican Party presidential primaries, 1968) — Former Vice President Richard Nixon, seeking the 1968 Republican presidential nomination, drew heavy applause today at a jammed National Guard Amory in McMinnville, Oregon, when he called for greater self-reliance and pulling at “bootstraps” in order to solve economic problems. Continue reading Former VP Nixon campaigns in McMinnville, Oregon 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 14 1968)
Video: 'Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel (English subtitles)'
(Friday, May 14, 1948, 4:00 p.m. Israel Standard Time) — The state of Israel, the first Hebrew nation in 2000 years, was born today in a Jewish declaration of independence asserting the “historic right” of the Jews of Palestine to reconstitute their national home. Continue reading Independent state of Israel proclaimed 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 14 1948)
Video: 'American Experience The Kennedys 1' (Kennedy's death at 53:57)
(Thursday, May 13, 1948, 6:30 p.m. local time) — Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, the 28-year-old daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Kennedy, sister of future U.S. President John F. Kennedy and widow of the heir to the Devonshire dukedom, died today in a plane crash in the French Alps at Saint-Bauzile, Ardèche, France. Continue reading Kennedy sister killed in plane crash 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 13 1948)
Video: 'Tragic Incidents In Venezuela Against Vice President Nixon (1958)'
(Tuesday, May 13, 1958, at about noon Venezuelan Standard Time) — A limousine carrying Vice President Richard Nixon, who was on an eight-nation tour of South America, was battered today by rocks thrown by anti-U.S. demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela. Continue reading Mob attacks Vice President Nixon in Caracas, Venezuela 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 13 1958)
