2016—MSNBC, CNN, and Fox treat Donald Trump to a free 1.5 hour infomercial consisting mostly of a live shot of an empty podium.
2001—Dick “Dick” Cheney vows to work on “the dark side.” His only side.
1976—Unelected Vice President Nelson Rockefeller is photographed giving “the finger” to students at SUNY Binghamton, N.Y.
1975—After winning by 355 votes, losing a recount by ten votes, and winning a ballot appeal by two votes, notorious Red-baiter Louis Wyman [R]—an appointed but not-seated Senator for three days—loses a special election to the droll John Durkin [D].
1974—President Ford announces a conditional amnesty for Vietnam War deserters and draft dodgers.
1968—Richard M. Nixon appears on “Laugh-In” and says, “Sock it to me”—which, eventually, they do.
1964—UC Berkeley bans free speech.
1942—U.S. B-24 pilot J.D. Hardin spots U-156 of the coast of Africa. A Red Cross flag on its deck, it’s carrying survivors of the Laconia sinking. As ordered, he attacks. The sub submerges; troops, POWs, civilians, women, and children are left adrift.
1940—A prescient FDR signs the first peacetime draft into law.
1920—A bomb in a horse-drawn-wagon explodes in front of the J.P. Morgan building on Wall Street, killing 38 and wounding 400.
1620—The Mayflower sets sail.