Woman Who Put JFK Outdoors Sees History Repeat

[babylonsister]

:D

Woman Who Put JFK Outdoors Sees History Repeat
Wyman Will Watch Obama At Invesco Field 48 Years After Arranging Kennedy's Acceptance At Los Angeles Coliseum

by Brian Friel

Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008


On Thursday night, California superdelegate Rosalind Wyman, 78, will be at Invesco Field to see another Democratic senator accept her party's presidential nomination in a big outdoor stadium. Forty-eight years ago, Wyman watched Sen. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass., deliver his acceptance speech at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In fact, it was her idea.

Back in 1960, Wyman was a Los Angeles council member who represented the city in convention planning. (Three years earlier, incidentally, she had played a key role in getting the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to L.A.) She vividly remembers debating with Robert Kennedy and adviser Larry O'Brien about holding JFK's acceptance speech in the 110,000-seat coliseum, rather than at the cramped sports arena that served as the convention hall.

"I can see Bobby to this day, sitting in the room with his feet up, going back and forth," Wyman said. "They were very concerned because nobody had ever done anything like this." It was already Monday when they kicked around the idea, and Robert Kennedy worried about generating a large crowd in time for the Friday speech -- or risk having his brother talk to empty seats.

"Once we made a decision," Wyman recalled, "Bobby said, 'Wyman, you're young. This may be the end of your political career if you're wrong.' I was petrified. I don't think I slept from then on."


more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/conventions/co_20080824_1061.php

[gateley]

1. Great story! Thanks!! Recommend!! nt

[goclark]

2. I saw JFK ride into a packed stadium at East Los Angeles Jr.

College.

It was thrilling to see him ride in with the top down on a shiny convertible!

The mostly young crowd just screamed with delight.

I'm sure that 99% of that crowd are still voters today -- It was just awesome.

[ROakes1019]

3. subject lines

Sometimes the subject lines can't even be unraveled or are unintentionally funny. I thought this meant some woman put JFK outside at night the way you would a cat or dog. I hadn't gotten over laughing at the baby on the run line so maybe I was in a funny mood.

[H2O Man]

4. Good story.

I know that a lot of oldie and moldie DUers have been thinking about the similarities.

[opihimoimoi]

5. Yup...this Geritol guy is one of them

:toast:

[roguevalley]

6. FDR gave his 1936 speech to 100,000 people. Top that. :)

[Phx_Dem]

7. Awesome.

There are so many historic events connected to our convention. It's so incredible and exciting. I know I'm going to cry on Thursday, but it will be NOTHING compared to the tears of joy on Nov. 7.

[WhiteTara]

8. And the grateful sobs on January 19

That day can not come soon enough in my life.