National Convention 1975: Difference between revisions

This needs to include the battle between MacBride and those who sought to present a less conservative GOP approach. Jim Trotter was the leader in the VP voting, but RLM declared he would not accept him, due to his "one issue" status (Jim was an alleged tax resister, gold smuggler and activist in other "left wing" causes). So his name was withdrawn, and that of John Vernon, an Oklahoma restaurateur, was proposed nomination. John had a strong libertarian background and had nearly been elected to the OK City Council; he was also openly gay, and Roger again raised the "one issue" claim. The convention adjourned with no VP nominee yet.  

A group of LP activists then stayed up all night, deciding whether or not to propose withdrawing the nomination of Roger unless he accepted the convention's choice for running mate. The next morning they yawned and downed lots of coffee, then placed Vernon's name into nomination, with Robert Nozick delivering the nomination speech, though he did not know and had never met Mr. Vernon before that morning. After the speeches were completed, Roger took the microphone to declare that he was prepared to accept anyone the convention nominated; this was followed by the nomination of David Bergland, who had been flown in from California on a red-eye plane overnight. The nomination them proceeded, and Bergland won on the first ballot.