They say history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes—and 2024 is, no matter how inconvenient for an embattled Joe Biden, resonating deeply with 1968. From anti-war protests on campuses to the Democratic National Convention being hosted in Chicago, these two distinct years, though decades apart, are drawing eerie comparisons, as I explain in my new video:
Biden’s disastrous debate performance last Thursday sparked calls for him to drop his reelection bid. While it’s uncertain if Biden will follow Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1968 footsteps and step aside, the fallout has added another dimension to the historical parallels. Team Biden insists the 81-year-old is in it until November. But on Tuesday, Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas became the first elected Democrat to call for Biden to reconsider, doing so from “the heart of a district once represented by Lyndon Johnson.” Others Democrats have since joined him.
On paper, Johnson and Biden share few similarities. Biden sailed through a relatively uncontested primary, while Johnson faced significant challenges from Eugene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy. Biden, like Johnson, indeed faces a persistent anti-war movement. But 1968 campus protest organizer Juan Gonzalez assured me recently that the two eras, in this regard, are not the same: “I think people need to understand that there were significant differences,” he said. While the US is funding and supporting Israel’s war on Gaza, “back in 1968, the US was directly participating in the Vietnam War, leading to the deaths of over two million Vietnamese.”
President Lyndon B. Johnson works on a speech in the White House Cabinet Room March 30, 1968. The following day, the president announced to the nation that in order to devote himself to his duties, he would not seek or accept the nomination for re-election.Bob Daughery/AP
Differences aside, as the 2024 Democratic National Convention approaches, comparisons with the chaotic 1968 event in Chicago are inevitable. The 1968 convention was marred by violent clashes and factionalism. Republican Richard Nixon capitalized on the chaos, campaigning on law and order. He won and ultimately ushered in an era of conservatism that stifled the Civil Rights Movement.
Despite Biden’s poor debate performance, if history is any indication—a big if—a brokered convention may prove more costly than the Democratic Party expects. As Biden faces growing pressure, the ghosts of 1968 are making themselves known.