[Middle of August), 1980
The Democratic National Convention
The National Convention of the Democratic Party took place in New York, August 11-14. At first, there was a vote on whether the delegates have to comply with the results of the primaries, or whether they can vote their conscience in an open convention. That would have been the chance for Edward Kennedy to win the nomination. But that decisive ballot went in favor of Jimmy Carter. Consequently, his nomination as presidential candidate of the Democratic Party was certain.
Addendum
[Carter maintained Walter Mondale as his running mate for Vice President. A month earlier, at their Convention in Detroit, the Republicans had nominated Ronald Reagan as presidential candidate. Reagan chose George Bush as his running mate. Thus, Carter-Mondale and Reagan-Bush confronted each other in the fall campaign of 1980.]
August 19, 1980
America as a Tourist Country
For the first time in the history of tourism across the Atlantic and the Pacific, the number of visitors to the United Sates is about equal to the number of Americans going to Europe or South East Asia. From among roughly 8 million tourists who visit the United States this year, approximately 1.3 million come from Great Britain, 1.2 million from Japan, 650,000 from the Federal Republic of Germany, and 400,000 from France. The interest in America has always been great. But only in recent years, due to air travel and the low exchange rate of the dollar, vacationing in the United States from abroad has become possible for short periods of time and affordable in price. America has still a great deal to offer as a tourist country.