It seems an ideal time, between the two parties’ national conventions, to reflect on conventions I have attended over the years. Most of my experiences were as an assistant on the Republican platform or rules committees with House members I worked for who were also delegates appointed to those committees. My first experience, however, was quite different.

I had just graduated from college in 1964 and was a gung-ho supporter of Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.) for president. As a member of college young Republicans, I paid close attention to all the goings-on in the run-up to the GOP convention that July. When word went out that the party was looking for young volunteers to be crowd rousers (i.e., cheer leaders) on the convention floor, I signed-on immediately.

What made the opportunity especially appealing was that a train had been chartered exclusively to transport the Midwest volunteers from Chicago to San Franscisco at no cost. As you might imagine, that train ride gave a whole new meaning to the term, “party enthusiast.” As I recall, it was a three-day journey, and there was never a dull moment or scarcity of new friends.

Fortunately, my older sister and her family lived in a........

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