General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: In what year did you become politically "sentient?" [View all]Awsi Dooger
(14,565 posts)I was 8 years old. Obviously that was the horrible year. I remember where I was for all of it. My dad and I were eating at the front stools at Huddle House the night of the California primary, as my dad talked to another man about the significance of the outcome. We stayed up to watch RFK's victory. This was in Florida.
Then early the next morning I turned on the television to watch my children's programming and instead saw a man standing atop a white truck bellowing out to a crowd on a megaphone. I listened long enough to realize he was outside the hospital, and giving updates to the somber stunned crowd. I had to wake up my parents and tell them what happened. My dad sprang to his feet and initially screamed at me, thinking I was making a sick joke. I told him no...it's the truth. He dashed out there and started breaking down once he heard the verification for himself.
I remember we had a Humphrey/Muskie bumper sticker on both cars. Gad, it just occurred to me we didn't have to worry about theft or vandalism given a sticker or yard sign. I kind of remember not knowing who would win but media seemed to believe Nixon had the slight edge. My dad kept bemoaning that Humphrey might have pulled it out if the vote had been just days later.
Then we attended the Jets/Colts Super Bowl which was great except for the political floats and stuff at halftime. We didn't want to be reminded.