CHICAGO– In 1948, the Republican and Democratic parties did something that would be unthinkable in today’s climate of bitter political hostility: They not only held their conventions in the same city, but they also shared some of the props.

Both met in Philadelphia, primarily because the Municipal Auditorium there was already equipped with the necessary cabling for the then groundbreaking live broadcast of the party convention on national television.

To save money, Democrats asked Republicans to leave the American flags and pennants hanging to be reused at their event 17 days later. Republicans complied, although some items had faded and worn in the meantime.

Like the camaraderie between the parties, the more informal nature of party conventions has disappeared. Once fierce battles to determine presidential candidates, they have now become carefully staged, made-for-television events designed to showcase party unity.

There is major political drama behind the Democrats when their convention begins in Chicago on Monday after President Joe Biden caved to growing pressure from many in his own party and abandoned his re-election bid last month. There is still the possibility of protests at the convention, but Democrats have coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the party ticket with surprising speed and renewed energy. Republicans showed similarly strong unity in nominating former President Donald Trump during the GOP convention in Milwaukee last month.

But even though conventions are now choreographed down to the smallest detail, the unexpected can still happen. Here’s a look at some of the thrilling scenes, ground fights, street battles and other memorable moments from the convention that were uplifting, edgy or just plain embarrassing:

Trump made a dramatic appearance on the first night of the Republican National Convention last month: Amid wild cheers, he walked into the arena with a bandage over his right ear – just two days after surviving an assassination attempt.

The moment gave rise to speculation that the former president might emerge from the attack changed, ready to adopt a more optimistic attitude and perhaps stop engaging in the political divisions that have given him so much joy throughout his political career.

During his speech at the convention three nights later — with his ear still bandaged — the former president initially appeared to do just that. He began by saying he wanted to “usher in a new era of security, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed.” But by the end, Trump had returned to his predictions of doom and division, warning, “Bad things are going to happen.”

Texas Senator Ted Cruz was the last candidate Donald Trump defeated in the 2016 Republican primaries. Although he was able to gather enough delegates to give a speech at the party convention in Cleveland, he shied away from supporting his former rival.

Still angered by Trump calling him “Lyin’ Ted,” mocking his wife’s appearance, and suggesting that the senator’s Cuban-born father was involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Cruz implored delegates to “vote according to their conscience,” drawing sustained boos.

Cruz changed his mind and supported Trump in the fall. Today he is one of his staunchest defenders. But at the time, the anger was so great that Cruz’s wife Heidi was escorted out of the convention hall as a precaution.

A confusing moment occurred in 2012 when Clint Eastwood was speaking to a Republican convention in Tampa, Florida, and an empty chair took the place of then-President Barack Obama.

The actor and the director talked to the piece of furniture for twelve minutes, even dodging a flood of imaginary obscenities emanating from it.

“What do you mean, ‘shut up’?” Eastwood crowed.

He also joked about then-Vice President Biden’s reputation for gaffes – a criticism that may prove prescient given the questions that arose after his disastrous performance at the June debate.

“Of course, we all know that Biden is the intellect of the Democratic Party,” Eastwood told the chairman. “Just a kind of grin, but with a body behind it.”

Otherwise, 2004 was a terrible year for the Democrats. President George W. Bush was re-elected and the Republicans retained their majority in Congress. One bright spot, however, was Obama, then a little-known senator from Illinois, who electrified his party’s convention in Boston.

Obama described himself as “a skinny boy with a funny name who believes there is a place for him in America” ​​and summed up his political philosophy as being based on “the audacity of hope.”

When Al Gore took the stage to deliver a speech in Los Angeles accepting his party’s presidential nomination for 2000, he hugged his wife, Tipper, and gave her a firm kiss, paused much longer than he usually would for a public display of passion.

The crowd cheered, but the kiss ultimately only lasted an awkward three seconds on screen.

Gore had to contend with criticism that he was too stiff in public appearances, which may explain how far he leaned forward. Regardless, the kiss was better remembered than Gore’s speech.

In November of that year, he narrowly lost to Bush. Ten years later, the Gores separated after 40 years of marriage.

At the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco, presidential candidate Walter Mondale announced Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, making her the first woman to run for a major presidential nomination. Ferraro declared, “America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us,” although she and Mondale ultimately received only 13 electoral votes compared to President Ronald Reagan’s 525.

Twenty years later, Senator John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Her speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, was a success. She mixed the then-Governor of Alaska’s compelling personal story with humor and political clout. This gave McCain a boost, but he still lost to Obama.

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton became the first female presidential nominee of a major party. She declared, “In America, when one barrier falls for anyone, it clears the way for everyone.” She ultimately lost to Trump.

Kamala Harris was the first woman on a winning ticket, accepting her role as Biden’s running mate during a largely virtual convention last election cycle. Now that she has replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee, she is aiming to become the nation’s first woman to assume the office of president.

In 1976, Reagan, then governor of California, challenged President Gerald Ford from the right, sparking a bitter battle at the Republican National Convention in Kansas City. Ford narrowly won by 1,187 votes to 1,070, but lost to Democrat Jimmy Carter in November of that year.

Four years later, at the Democratic National Convention in New York, Carter himself faced a challenge from Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. Kennedy was trailing the president in delegates but sought to loosen the rules governing delegate voting. Tensions grew, and although the change was defeated, Carter later lost to Reagan.

The pressure on Biden to drop out of the race was unprecedented at the peak of a presidential campaign – but not when it comes to a candidate’s vice presidential running mate.

Shortly after the 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami, reports emerged that Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern’s vice presidential running mate, Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton, had previously undergone electroshock therapy to treat depression.

A divided convention had led McGovern to nominate Eagleton on the last day after he was rejected by several alternatives, so Eagleton’s record was not thoroughly reviewed, which may have brought the medical disclosures to light earlier.

Eagleton resigned after 18 days in office and was replaced by Sargent Shriver. Incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon won 49 of 50 states in November of that year.

After President Lyndon B. Johnson decided not to seek re-election and Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, Vice President Hubert Humphrey secured the nomination at the 1968 Democratic Convention. However, this only happened after a fierce election campaign that ended with delegates rejecting a peace program calling for an end to the Vietnam War.

What happened at the convention was overshadowed by thousands of anti-war protesters marching into the streets. Protesters were attacked by police, sparking such an uproar that tear gas reached the 25th-floor suite where Humphrey was preparing to speak at a hotel five miles from the convention.

The Democratic National Convention returns to Chicago this week, and large-scale demonstrations are planned against the Biden administration’s support for Israel in the war against Hamas – raising questions among some about whether there could be a repeat of the events of 1968.

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