News stories from Tuesday July 4, 1972
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Security forces for the Democratic national convention have been increased to prevent a recurrence of the events of 1968. Miami Beach police are reinforced by state and county forces, and 2,300 Army troops are based nearby. 3,000 Florida National Guardsmen will be in the vicinity by Sunday.
Things got fairly wild at the June 30 credentials committee meeting, therefore measures are being taken for security inside the convention hall as well. The podium is a fortress, unreachable from the convention floor. Delegates must telephone to a switchboard on the podium to be recognized. The setup is designed to prevent angry delegates from seizing control of the convention by force, and to provide maximum protection for the presidential candidates. James MacDonald, who is in charge of convention hall security, anticipates a rough convention from the standpoint of floor and gallery demonstrations. A demonstration area has been provided outside for orderly dissent. Signs of security precautions are already visible -- barbed wire, and guards checking visitors' credentials.
[CBS] - In Washington, DC, a three-judge federal court met to hear appeals in the cases of the California and Chicago delegates to the Democratic national convention. Joseph Califano argued for the credentials committee, urging the court to stay out of politics. A new dispute arose about where the Chicago delegation will sleep; challengers' attorney Wayne Whalen expects the national party to turn over the hotel rooms which were allocated to Mayor Daley's delegation. The CBS news count of publicly committed delegates is McGovern, 1,276; Humphrey, 483; Wallace, 387; Muskie, 204; others 155, and 511 remain uncommitted. The disputed California delegates are crucial to McGovern.
McGovern assistant campaign manager Richard Stearns called the California decision a "steal" and said that if an independent party were formed, he would like to run against Humphrey because Humphrey has discredited himself. Humphrey campaign manager Jack Chestnut said that talk of punishment for Humphrey is irresponsible blackmail. Both sides plan intensive lobbying on the California issue.
The credentials committee is just about through with a record number of challenges. Challenges involved 30 states and one territory, concerning 1,289 delegates. At present, of the 3,177 voting delegates going to Miami, 39.7% are women, 21.4% are under 30, 15.1% are black and 4.6% are Spanish-speaking. The youngest delegate at the convention, Kenneth Dean of Waterbury, Vermont, celebrated his 18th birthday today.
[CBS] - A small South Vietnamese force helicoptered into the center of North Vietnam-held Quang Tri city and raised the South Vietnam flag. South Vietnamese troops on the ground are moving slowly toward Quang Tri city, with aid from U.S. air support. [CBS]
- North and South Korea have made a secret agreement to explore peaceful reunification without outside interference. A telephone hotline will be installed between the two capital cities, Seoul and Pyongyang. [CBS]
- The IRA cease-fire hasn't ended all violence in Northern Ireland. There has been an increase in activity in the center of Belfast. The Ulster Defense Association has been constructing barricades in Protestant areas, creating "no-go" areas similar to Catholic enclaves in Londonderry; tension is running high. No peace in Northern Ireland seems possible until a political solution is reached. [CBS]
- The start of the world championship chess match is being delayed by the protest of Boris Spassky, the defending champion. Spassky presented a written protest of Fischer's behavior at a preliminary meeting. Fischer arrived in Iceland earlier today after holding out for more money, and consented to appear only after a London banker offered to double the purse. The opening match has been postponed until Thursday at the earliest. [CBS]