Up next Lawrence Odonnell talks about his book playing with fire. And the transformation of american politics, which recalls the turmoil of the 1968 president ial election. We recorded this in washington to d. C. In 2017. This 1968 election, was the first when i was alert for. I was in high school, i remember zero of the 1964 election, just the one right before that. And i remember just flashes of 1960, because it was a giant deal for Irish Catholic boys in boston. And one of us was on his way to winning it. And its hard to believe this now, but in those days we lived under a certain kind of, old ghetto culture notion that it could not happen. That they could not elect a catholic president of the United States. But if you know our political history, for the decades proceeding that without smith, and with others there was evidence, that you could not elect a catholic person. And that was transcended and exploded, one night in november in 1960. So the world we were looking at, in 1968 wh
Notion that it couldnt happen, that they could not elect a catholic president of the United States. If you know our political history for the decades preceding that with al smith and others there was evidence that , you cannot elect a catholic, and that was all transcended and exploded one night in november 1960. And so the world we were looking at in 1968 when i could really finally Pay Attention was a world coming apart in the United States. The vietnam war is raging, we had an incumbent president Lyndon Johnson who had been elected four years ago in a landslide who was on the way to an easy reelection again. He was very likely to be facing some of very good at losing president ial elections. Richard nixon, who had the distinction in history at the beginning of 1968, of being the very first Vice President in history to lose a president ial campaign. He then made Hubert Humphrey the second 1968. As the year began, it was back in that ancient america where if someone said, i democrat o
1968 was the year where the real decisions between the party that we see now were first locked in cement and we saw as one of the more poignant scenes in this book what literally became the last liberal standing on a Republican Convention stage in 1968, and it was the moment when mayor john lindsay of new york was forced at least half against his will to second the nomination of spiro agnew to be president of the United States after lindsay himself wanted to get that nomination, he then had to second that nomination for agnew and that was the last time a National Republican of significance stood on a Republican Convention stage as a liberal and john lindsay eventually left the Republican Party not long after 1968 so we now have a world in which when people hear that you are a democrat or they hear that youre a republican, they think they know everything about you. Its not just a know whether youre a liberal or conservative, they think they know everything in 1968 had more drama and cha
Service to every city deserves. My honorable friend, as always, speaking on behalf of his constituents. We know it is a place you want to be able to visit frequently and easily. The government is investing record amounts to improving our railways in regard to a particular case to transport ministers working with crosscountry to see how the Gloucester Service can be improved. Order. [inaudible conversations] cspan2 we leave the british house of commons as members move on to other business. You have been watching prime ministers question time aired live on wednesdays at 7 00 a. M. Eastern when parliament is in session. Quick reminder you can see this weekend session sunday night at 9 00 eastern and pacific on cspan. For more information go to cspan. Org and click on series to view every program we have aired from the british house of commons since october 1989. We would like your comments about prime ministers questions via twitter in the hashtag pmq. All day saturday American History tv
Service to every city deserves. My honorable friend, as always, speaking on behalf of his constituents. We know it is a place you want to be able to visit frequently and easily. The government is investing record amounts to improving our railways in regard to a particular case to transport ministers working with crosscountry to see how the Gloucester Service can be improved. Order. [inaudible conversations] cspan2 we leave the british house of commons as members move on to other business. You have been watching prime ministers question time aired live on wednesdays at 7 00 a. M. Eastern when parliament is in session. Quick reminder you can see this weekend session sunday night at 9 00 eastern and pacific on cspan. For more information go to cspan. Org and click on series to view every program we have aired from the british house of commons since october 1989. We would like your comments about prime ministers questions via twitter in the hashtag pmq. All day saturday American History tv