Remembering 1968: Battle at the Chicago Democratic convention
Remembering 1968: Battle at the Chicago Democratic convention

NPR’s Scott Simon looks back at the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where violence on the streets reflected the division within the party during their nominating convention for president. Simon talks with Bill Daley, son of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley; Bill Jaconetti, who was a rookie police officer on the front lines during those tense days; Marilyn Katz, who was head of security for the protesting Students for a Democratic Society; and CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, who was reporting from the convention floor.
Read the full article on CBS Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The CBS News article accurately portrays the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a tumultuous event marked by violence and division. The article's claims are generally supported by the provided sources, which corroborate the presence of protests, police response, and the overall tense atmosphere. However, the framing of the event as a "battle" and the focus on violence might indicate a slight bias towards sensationalizing the events.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was tumultuous.
- Verification Source #2: Supports this claim, describing it as a "political earthquake."
- Verification Source #3: Supports this claim, mentioning the "Chaos of 1968's Democratic National Convention Protests."
- Verification Source #5: Supports this claim, stating "Recalling that hot week still requires a vocabulary of violence."
- Claim:** Violence on the streets reflected the division within the Democratic party.
- Verification Source #1: Supports this claim, mentioning the "Battle at the Chicago Democratic convention."
- Verification Source #2: Supports this claim, referring to "Chicago's bloody Democratic Convention."
- Verification Source #3: Supports this claim, stating "'Violence Was Inevitable'."
- Claim:** Bill Daley, Bill Jaconetti, Marilyn Katz, and Bob Schieffer were present and involved.
- Verification Source #1: Confirms that Scott Simon talks with these individuals.
- Claim:** Marilyn Katz was head of security for the protesting Students for a Democratic Society.
- Verification Source #1: Supports this claim.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Agreement: All sources agree that the 1968 Democratic National Convention was a significant and turbulent event.
- Agreement: The sources agree on the presence and roles of the individuals interviewed in the CBS News article.
- Lack of Coverage: None of the sources explicitly contradict any of the claims made in the article. However, the level of detail regarding the specific causes and motivations behind the violence varies across sources.
- Potential Bias: The title "Battle at the Chicago Democratic convention" and the phrase "bloody Democratic Convention" (Verification Source #2) suggest a potential bias towards emphasizing the violence and conflict.