Republican midterm convention will be ‘Trumpist pageantry’ - at the party’s own risk

A historically unpopular president will take centre stage as the party seeks to sway voters with an unprecedented event It seemed like a good idea at the time.

In December 1978, Jimmy Carter, a US president besieged by inflation and energy crises, watched as thousands of Democrats descended on Memphis, Tennessee, for a rare midterm convention .

“It was wild,” recalls Elaine Kamarck , who attended as a 28-year-old working for the Democratic National Committee.

“ It became a forum for Ted Kennedy to informally announce his opposition to president Carter.

There was a lot of hostility to the president there.

The Democrats have sworn ever since never to do anything this stupid again.” Continue reading...