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  [Rostenkowski raw: New York Democratic convention #3]

  Chicago, Chicago Politics, Dan Rostenkowski, NHPRC, Politics

  Raw footage from the 1981 documentary “Rostenkowski,” a portrait of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, a powerful figure in Chicago (and national) politics. On the floor of the convention center at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Delegates are interviewed. Most of the delegates, predictably, praise Rostenkowski. Marty Russo, a congressman for Illinois’ 3rd congressional district, and an Illinois Delegate, describes how valuable and powerful Rostenkowski is to the party. Bob McCary, another delegate, talks about why Rostenkowski isn’t as well known as other congressmen, saying Rostenkowski doesn’t seek publicity. Mary Zolora, another Illinois delegate, says that she would like to see Rostenkowski run for mayor of Chicago. Ed Rosewell, Cook County Treasurer and Illinois delegate, says Rostenkowski will eventually be Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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  [Rostenkowski raw: New York Democratic convention #4]

  Chicago, Chicago Politics, Dan Rostenkowski, NHPRC, Politics

  Raw footage from the 1981 documentary “Rostenkowski,” a portrait of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, a powerful figure in Chicago (and national) politics. The crew is on the floor of the convention center at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Rostenkowski is interviewed. He discusses the withdrawal of Senator Edward Kennedy from the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. He also discusses the challenges of running the convention. He says the most challenging aspect of running the convention is keeping the media satisfied. At just after eight minutes, someone in the convention hall apparently sets off some firecrackers, startling both Rostenkowski and the camera crew.

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  [Rostenkowski raw: New York Democratic convention #5]

  Chicago, Chicago Politics, Dan Rostenkowski, NHPRC, Politics

  Raw footage from the 1981 documentary “Rostenkowski,” a portrait of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, a powerful figure in Chicago (and national) politics. On the floor of the convention center at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Features footage of Rostenkowski working the phones on the speakers’ podium. Illinois delegates are also interviewed. They are asked what Rostenkowski’s role is at the convention. Few of the delegates seem to know. One suggests that Rostenkowski’s role is to find common ground among the various factions of the Democratic Party that are represented at the convention.

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  [Rostenkowski raw: New York Democratic convention #6]

  Chicago, Chicago Politics, Dan Rostenkowski, NHPRC, Politics

  Raw footage from the 1981 documentary “Rostenkowski,” a portrait of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, a powerful figure in Chicago (and national) politics. On the floor of the convention center at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Features footage of Rostenkowski on the speakers’ podium and outside the convention hall. He comments on how well the convention has gone. He goes on to discuss making compromises between competing factions of the Democratic Party when setting the Party’s platform. Later in the video, back inside the convention hall, President Jimmy Carter is giving a speech, presumably his nomination acceptance speech. After Carter’s speech, the hall erupts into celebration (boisterous music, balloon drop, etc.).