Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey had the nomination sewn up. He enjoyed generous support, but remained nervous because of the anti-war demonstrators.
For many, the political machinations inside the Conrad Hilton Hotel and Chicago's International Amphitheater, two of the major convention sites, seemed far less significant than the protests taking place in the parks and streets.
I had covered riots before, but never a riot by armed police officers.
Looking back on that day, I recall being in a house that served as headquarters for the demonstrators on the periphery of Grant Park. It was the same parcel of real estate where President-elect Barack Obama gave his victory speech last week.
As Obama spoke, my mind drifted back to the park and the headquarters where my interviews with a few idealistic and dedicated protesters were interrupted by an angry army of officers.
Suddenly, the front door burst open and in charged several uniformed officers who clubbed nearly everyone in sight, including four or five young women.
"What the hell are you doing here?"one officer screamed at me.
"I'm a news reporter," I said. He raised his club and brought it down fiercely upon my head. In an instant, my white shirt turned crimson and I felt the warm flow of blood on my face and body. Everyone fled the house, hurrying along the edge of the park.
One officer kept me in his sight. He grabbed my credentials from the cord around my neck and beat me to the ground. He snatched my notebook, now wet with blood, and tossed it into the street and shouted us away.
I was unable to move. Fortunately, a few of my colleagues dragged me out of the park and drove me to a hospital where I spent three days in recovery.
