Sixty years ago, the Republican Party at its 1964 National Convention nominated conservative Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater as its presidential candidate, and I was there.
The party’s 2024 convention this week brought back memories of the earlier event.
The Cow Palace in San Francisco on July 13-16 saw the culmination of a battle between Goldwater — “Mr. Conservative” and his ultra conservatives — and Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York, a political moderate.
At the end of the primary nominating season, Goldwater was the leader. Rockefeller’s followers — the party’s anti-Goldwater faction — and others got together before and during the convention to nominate Gov. William Scranton of Pennsylvania in a last ditch effort to block Goldwater.
I got to the convention in an unusual way. Near the close of my sophomore year at William & Mary, I signed to take a course, called political parties, for the fall 1964 semester. It was to be taught by professor Warner Moss, head of the school’s government department.
My grandfather, W. W. Kale, a prominent Charlotte city and North Carolina state businessman said he thought it would be good for me to attend either the Republican or the Democratic national conventions. It would help me in the course.
Which convention one would I prefer, he asked?
Frankly, I told him it didn’t matter. He said he knew state leaders in both parties, but a member of the N.C. Republican Committee “owes me a favor,” he said. So, soon, I found myself going to California after I was named a sergeant-at-arms for the convention.
Later that summer I would turn 20 years old and was assigned to assist Rockefeller.
My job during the convention’s four days was to be with Rockefeller and his family in their special box, just off the convention floor. When I met him, the governor was gracious and laughed when he realized I was a “Southerner” assigned to a “Yankee.” But we got along great!
My duty was to help him any way I could, and I manned his box when he was on the convention floor with the New York delegation.
It was a raucous four-day gathering, the ugliest convention in decades, according to news reports. There were also numerous and historic events.
The name of Maine Sen. Margaret Chase Smith was placed in nomination. It was the first time a woman had been nominated at a major party convention. She got a glorious reception, as I recall.
The friction between Goldwater and Rockefeller followers broke out many times. I was asked to accompany Rockefeller to events elsewhere in the convention hall. My job then as a sergeant-at-arms was to help clear a path for him amid Goldwater followers.
When Rockefeller addressed the convention, I was in the box with the family and remember him being booed. On the first ballot, Goldwater had 883 votes (655 were needed for the nomination) while Scranton was next and Rockefeller a poor third.
By the end of the convention, Rockefeller had introduced me to most of the party’s leadership, especially those who visited his convention box. I most especially remember meeting Sen. Everett Dirksen of Illinois (Senate minority leader) and his full-head of wavy gray hair.
I had a marvelous time at the convention, meeting and greeting political higher-ups. When I returned home to Charlotte, I had many stories to tell (most of which I have forgotten in the ensuing 60 years) and the convention DID help me in the fall government course.
I also enjoyed my brief relationship with Rockefeller; my association with him resumed a decade later when he began visiting Colonial Williamsburg, which his father had financially supported. I was then a newspaper bureau chief working in the city. I met him on the street and introduced himself. He did remember me, “that Southern boy,” he said.
Rockefeller frequently called me when he was back in town, asking about my family and my newspaper work. He died in 1979, after serving for several years as vice president under President Gerald Ford.
By the way, in the November 1964 presidential election, the Republican Goldwater-Rep. William E. Miller ticket lost to President Lyndon Johnson and Sen. Hubert Humphrey.
Wilford Kale is a correspondent for The Virginia Gazette.
