In another thread, to which Google for some unknown reason will not
let me post, Sam Sloan tells about attending the Republican National
Convention in 1964 (see http://tinyurl.com/5akoxl).
I watched most of the 1964 Republican Convention on television, and
Sam's account differs from my recollection on at least one important
point.
He claims to have been there for one day only, during which both the
voting for the nominee, and Goldwater's acceptance speech (with its
famous "extremism in the pursuit of liberty" line), took place.
However, as I recall, these took place on two separate days. The
usual schedule for national nominating conventions is that the voting
for the presidential nominee occurs on the penultimate day, while the
nominee's acceptance speech takes place on the final day of the
convention. As I recall, 1964 was no exception to this traditional
scheduling.
Therefore it seems that either:

1. Sam stayed in the Cow Palace for two days, not one. Or,
2. Sam's memory is confused, and at least some of the events he now
believes he saw in person, he actually only read about or watched on
TV. Or,
3. Sam has made the whole thing up. Or,
4. My memory is incorrect on the convention schedule.

Perhaps an informed reader can confirm this one way or another?

On May 7, 11:38 am, wrote:
In another thread, to which Google for some unknown reason will not
let me post, Sam Sloan tells about attending the Republican National
Convention in 1964 (seehttp://tinyurl.com/5akoxl).
I watched most of the 1964 Republican Convention on television, and
Sam's account differs from my recollection on at least one important
point.
He claims to have been there for one day only, during which both the
voting for the nominee, and Goldwater's acceptance speech (with its
famous "extremism in the pursuit of liberty" line), took place.
However, as I recall, these took place on two separate days. The
usual schedule for national nominating conventions is that the voting
for the presidential nominee occurs on the penultimate day, while the
nominee's acceptance speech takes place on the final day of the
convention. As I recall, 1964 was no exception to this traditional
scheduling.
Therefore it seems that either:

1. Sam stayed in the Cow Palace for two days, not one. Or,
2. Sam's memory is confused, and at least some of the events he now
believes he saw in person, he actually only read about or watched on
TV. Or,
3. Sam has made the whole thing up. Or,
4. My memory is incorrect on the convention schedule.

Perhaps an informed reader can confirm this one way or another?

I have been thinking about the same question too and you might be
right.

I was only there for one day. That is for sure.

According to my recollection the convention ended on that day. However
my memory might be mistaken and Goldwater came back on the next day. I
remember the shock everyone felt when Goldwater named Bill Miller as
his vice-president.

I will check the newspaper archives to see if I can solve this.

Sam Sloan

It seems that you are right, thank you.

Goldwater won the nomination on July 15, 1964. The "Extremism" speech
came the next day on July 16.

Sam Sloan

On May 7, 1:47*pm, samsloan wrote:
It seems that you are right, thank you.

Goldwater won the nomination on July 15, 1964. The "Extremism" speech
came the next day on July 16.

Sam Sloan

You're welcome. Glad to see you open to correction on something.

On May 7, 12:53 pm, wrote:
On May 7, 1:47 pm, samsloan wrote:

It seems that you are right, thank you.

Goldwater won the nomination on July 15, 1964. The "Extremism" speech
came the next day on July 16.

Sam Sloan

You're welcome. Glad to see you open to correction on something.

This certainly explains why I found nothing noteworthy in the speech.

The "Extremism" speech is one of the most famous and remembered
speeches in political history, right below the Gettysburg Address and
the "Day that shall live in Infamy" speech. I cannot think of any
others.

It was also the biggest blunder. Goldwater was forever branded as an
extremist. He was never able to shake that off.

It comes up today, with videos of the little girl watching an atomic
bomb of off in her minds eye, which was the Johnson Election Campaign
ad that was the counter to the extremist views of Goldwater.

This explains why Goldwater got wiped out in the election whereas
Nixon and Reagan who had similar views got elected.

Sam Sloan

On May 7, 3:30*pm, samsloan wrote:
On May 7, 12:53 pm, wrote:

On May 7, 1:47 pm, samsloan wrote:

It seems that you are right, thank you.

Goldwater won the nomination on July 15, 1964. The "Extremism" speech
came the next day on July 16.

Sam Sloan

* You're welcome. Glad to see you open to correction on something.

This certainly explains why I found nothing noteworthy in the speech.

The "Extremism" speech is one of the most famous and remembered
speeches in political history, right below the Gettysburg Address and
the "Day that shall live in Infamy" speech. I cannot think of any
others.

It was also the biggest blunder. Goldwater was forever branded as an
extremist. He was never able to shake that off.

It comes up today, with videos of the little girl watching an atomic
bomb of off in her minds eye, which was the Johnson Election Campaign
ad that was the counter to the extremist views of Goldwater.

This explains why Goldwater got wiped out in the election whereas
Nixon and Reagan who had similar views got elected.

Goldwater alienated many members of his own party with that speech.
However, that 1964 election marked a turning point in American
politics, a fundamental shift, the benefits of which the Republican
Party has been reaping ever since.
For nearly a century, ever since the Civil War, the southern states
had been firmly in the Democratic column. Most Democratic presidential
candidates could count on most or all the electoral votes of the
"Solid South." However, the civil rights legislation that Lyndon
Johnson put through Congress in 1964 and 1965, ending legally-
sanctioned racial segregation and race-based restrictions on voting
rights, combined with Goldwater's opposition to these acts, turned the
South away from the Democratic Party and toward the Republican.
Goldwater carried several of the traditionally Democratic southern
states in 1964, due to what was called "white backlash."
The South has been solid for the Republican Party ever since. Black
voters have leaned strongly toward the Democrats, but the white
majority votes Republican. It's not surprising that the only two
Democrats to win the presidency since 1964, Carter and Clinton, have
been Southerners.