CHICAGO (AP) — In 1948, the Republican and Democratic parties did something unthinkable in today’s climate of ferocious political animosity: They not only held their national conventions in the same city but also shared some of the props.
Both gathered in Philadelphia, largely because its Municipal Auditorium had already been fitted with the wiring needed for then-groundbreaking live convention coverage on national television.
To save money, Democrats asked Republicans to leave the American flags and bunting up to be reused at their event 17 days later. The GOP complied, though some items became faded and worn in the interval.
Like party camaraderie, the more informal way conventions were staged has evaporated.
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