Description: Michael Connolly (Massachusetts Secretary of State) draws names from a spinning drum to determine the order of the names of the Democratic presidential candidates on the Massachusetts primary ballot. State officials Thomas Fitzgerald, Paul Williams and others draw names. Jesse Jackson gets the top position on the ballot; Connolly comments on Jackson's popularity with voters. Connolly endorses Walter Mondale; says that press conference was organized in order to raise voter awareness and to promote voter registration. Connolly tells the press that he expects to run for the US Senate. Kate McGrath (WGBH reporter) stands outside of Connolly's office to report on Massachusetts Presidential primary elections.
0:59:55: Visual: Shot of a large sign with an image of the Massachusetts electoral ballot for the Democratic presidential primary election. Michael Connolly (Secretary of State) steps up to a spinning drum. He asks for volunteers to help him choose names from the drum. Connolly announces that the eve of the presidential primary elections is two months away. Connolly notes that the presidential primary is on March 13; that the state primary election is on September 18; that the presidential and state elections will be held on November 6. Connolly notes that the governor held a press conference in the morning about voter registration and voter participation. Connolly announces that he will draw the names of the eight democratic presidential candidates in order to determine their ballot positions on March 13. Connolly notes that Ronald Reagan (US President) will be the only candidate on the Republican ballot. Connolly draws the first name. Connolly announces that Jesse Jackson (Democratic candidate for US president) will be the first name on the ballot. Shot of the sign with the image of the electoral ballot. Jackson's name is put on the first line of the ballot. Connolly invites Thomas Fitzgerald (state official) to draw the second name. Fitzgerald draws the name of Senator Gary Hart (Democratic candidate for US president). Shot of the sign with the image of the electoral ballot. Hart's name is put on the second line of the ballot. Connolly draws the name of Reubin Askew (Democratic candidate for US president. Paul Williams (state official) places Askew's name on the third line of the large electoral ballot. Paul Williams draws the name of George McGovern (Democratic candidate for US president). Williams places McGovern's name of the fourth line of the large electoral ballot. An older man pulls the name of Walter Mondale (Democratic candidate for US president). Williams places Mondale's name on the fifth line of the large electoral ballot. A male media photographer pulls the name of Ernest Hollings (Democratic candidate for US president). Williams places Hollings name on the sixth line of the large electoral ballot. Another man pulls the name of Alan Cranston (Democratic candidate for US president) . Williams places Cranston's name on the seventh line of the ballot and places the name of John Glenn (Democratic candidate for US president) on the eighth line. Shot of the sign with the image of the electoral ballot. Connolly says that there is approximately one month remaining for new voter registration. A reporter asks Connolly if Jackson's ballot position will be an advantage. Connolly says that he believes that the first ballot position is worth less than one percentage point. Connolly says that the voters are very familiar with the candidates. Connolly notes that Jackson is "on a roll"; that Jackson probably picked up supporters in his efforts to secure the release of Lieutenant Robert Goodman (US Navy) from Syria. A reporter asks Connolly which candidate he supports. Connolly says that he is endorsing Mondale. Connolly says that the presidential candidates are well-known; that the some candidates are more visible than others; that ballot position should have little effect on the outcome of the election. Connolly says that he is trying to raise voter awareness today; that he wants more people to register to vote. A reporter asks Connolly if he will be a candidate for US Senate. Connolly says that he expects to be a candidate for US Senate; that he will not yet announce his candidacy in deference to Paul Tsongas (US Senator). Connolly closes the press conference. Shots of the enlarged electoral ballot. 1:08:21: V: Shot of the exterior of Connolly's office. There is a holiday wreath on the door. The letters on the door read, "Michael Joseph Connolly, Secretary of the Commonwealth." Kate McGrath (WGBH reporter) stands outside of Connolly's office. McGrath notes that Connolly reminded voters that there are four weeks left to register for the presidential primary. McGrath reports that Jackson's top ballot spot may generate interest in the election among unregistered voters. McGrath does several takes of her close to the story.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/12/1984
Description: Mel King speaks at a press conference held on behalf of the Massachusetts Rainbow Coalition and the Massachusetts Jesse Jackson Committee. Committee members stand behind King as he reads an open letter from Jesse Jackson. Jackson's letter criticizes Ronald Reagan and urges voters to support Walter Mondale in the upcoming election. Domenic Bozzotto (labor leader) speaks at the press conference. Bozzotto denounces Reagan and says that the labor movement must support Mondale. May Louie (Rainbow Coalition leader) speaks at the press conference. Louie calls on all members of the Rainbow Coalition to support Mondale, even if they are not entirely comfortable with his candidacy. King answers questions from reporters. King talks about efforts by both committees to register new voters. Louie and King talk about the committees' efforts to win over voters in Massachusetts. King says that the Rainbow Coalition can work more successfully with Democratic leaders than with Reagan. King talks about the dissatisfaction of Jackson voters with the Democratic Party. King says that the Democratic Party has ignored Jackson's efforts to push for a more inclusive platform. King says that the Democratic Party needs "serious transformation." King says that the committees are struggling for the minds of the people. He adds that it is "immoral" not to vote against Reagan in the upcoming election. Several takes of reporter standup.
1:00:00: Visual: Mel King (political activist) sits at a table at a press conference. Other leaders of the Massachusetts Jesse Jackson Committee sit at the table with King. Supporters stand behind the table, in front of a banner for the Rainbow Coalition. King tells the media that he is speaking on behalf of the Massachusetts Jesse Jackson Committee and the Massachusetts Rainbow Coalition. King expresses his support for Jackson. King reads an open letter from Jackson about the importance of getting out the vote against Ronald Reagan (US President). Jackson's letter urges people to support Walter Mondale (candidate for US President) against Reagan. The letter denounces Reagan's record as president. Jackson's letter predicts that Reagan can be beat if "the victims of Reaganism" come out to vote for Mondale. Jackson writes that the people can effect change in society through political means. Jackson's letter urges people to help him build the Democratic Party into a Rainbow Coalition. King finishes reading the letter. The supporters applaud. 1:05:10: V: King hands the microphone to Domenic Bozzotto (labor leader). Bozzotto says that the Rainbow Coalition's purpose is to defeat Reagan and Reaganism. Bozzotto denounces Reaganism and its effect on working people and labor unions. Bozzotto says that the labor movement must join the Rainbow Coalition in order to support Mondale and to defeat Reagan. 1:06:12: V: May Louie (Rainbow Coalition leader) calls on all members of the Rainbow Coalition to fight Reagan and Reaganism. Louie admits that some members of the Coalition may not be entirely comfortable with Mondale's candidacy; that it is important to support Mondale in order to defeat Reagan. 1:06:53: V: King invites the reporters to ask questions. Shots of supporters standing behind King. A reporter asks how many votes Jackson received in the Massachusetts primary. Another reporter answers that Jackson received 33,000 votes. A reporter asks how many citizens the group would like to register to vote during its voter registration drive. King says that he does not have a specific numerical goal; that it is "immoral" for people not to vote when faced with the "danger" represented by Reagan's policies. King notes that many people have responded to the group's message by registering to vote. King adds that more than 1,000 people have been registered to vote in the South End during the past month. A reporter asks if King expects Jackson to visit Massachusetts. King says that the group is working to bring Jackson to Massachusetts; that Jackson is campaigning for Mondale in the South. 1:09:08: V: A reporter asks if the Rainbow Coalition expects to win over the voters who supported Gary Hart (US Senator) in the Democratic primary election. King says that the goal of the Coalition is to defeat Reagan; that the members of the Coalition can work with Democratic leaders more successfully than they can work with Reagan. Louie adds that the Massachusetts delegation to the Democratic Convention voted with Jackson supporters on some platform issues; that Massachusetts voters are receptive to the issues put forth by the Coalition. A reporter asks why this announcement was not made immediately after the Democratic convention. King says that the group is working for Jackson; that Jackson wrote the letter recently; that the group is following Jackson's instructions. King notes that the group is working hard to register voters; that the group will work to get out the vote in support of Mondale. King adds that the group will use the media and other strategies to publicize its message. 1:11:28: V: A reporter asks King how they will motivate voters to get to the polls on election day. Shots of the media and the audience. King says that the movement to defeat Reagan is the first of many steps in building up the Rainbow Coalition; that the Coalition will be more successful if Reagan is out of office. Shots of members of the Massachusetts Jesse Jackson Committee; of a sign reading, "For 50 years, we've belonged to the Democratic Party. Now it's time that the Democratic Party belonged to us." A reporter asks King about the committee's slogan about the committee's slogan, "For 50 years, we've belonged to the Democratic Party. Now it's time that the Democratic Party belonged to us." King says that Jackson's goal is to "remake" the Democratic Party into a "rainbow" party of "peace, jobs and justice." King notes that the labor movement has seen the importance of joining with Jackson to defeat Reagan; that Reagan's policies are anti-union. A reporter comments that the slogan expresses a sense of "dissatisfaction" with the Democratic Party. King says that the reporter is right. The committee members applaud. King notes that the Rainbow Coalition is "critical" of Mondale and the Democratic Party; that the Democratic Party has failed to consider Jackson's efforts to push for a more inclusive platform. King adds that he is an independent. King says that Jackson's leadership is important; that Jackson is trying to push the Democratic Party to represent the needs of a broader cross section of people. King says that the Democratic Party "needs serious transformation." King adds that people who have been "locked out" of the Democratic Party need to support Jackson in order to transform the Party. Bozzotto says that Jackson has laid out a blueprint for a Democratic victory in November. Bozzotto adds that Jackson has brought voters back to the Democratic Party. 1:16:13: V: King says that the Jackson Committee is "struggling for people's minds." Jackson says that people in the US and across the world are "dying daily" as a result of Reagan's policies; that it is "immoral" for citizens of the US not to come out to vote against Reagan. King says that the "soul" of the nation is at stake. King talks about the responsibility of citizens to vote in November in order to rid the world of the "menace" posed by the Reagan administration. King closes the press conference. The Jackson Committee members applaud. King and the Committee members rise from their seats. 1:18:06: V: Meg Vaillancourt stands under the banner reading, "For 50 years, we've belonged to the Democratic Party. Now it's time that the Democratic Party belonged to us." Vaillancourt reports that the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus is trying to convince some Republicans to vote Democratic this year; that some Democrats are talking about their plans to reform the Party from within. Vaillancourt does several takes of her comments for the news story.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/01/1984