Shaker Heights Native Shares His Experience as an RNC Peace Delegate

Shaker Heights native Paul W. “Tim” Walter Jr. was only 21 when he spoke at the 1968 convention for Harold Stassen, the former Minnesota governor and perennial presidential candidate. Walter is now a retired community college English instructor in Plainfield, Massachusetts.

The Vietnam War was going on, and we thought there ought to be some peace delegates at the Republican convention. We ran six delegates. I won by virtue of my opponent dropping dead in his sleep two days before the election. So I was the youngest delegate, and the only elected peace delegate.

The only way I could get to speak was a seconding speech for Harold Stassen. It was televised in its entirety on NBC, and The New York Times printed the entire speech. 

I wrote my speech on the back of an envelope, just like Lincoln. It was incredible to look out there and see the standards of the different states and 2,000 to 3,000 people — I’d never spoken to that many people in my life. They started playing “Beautiful Ohio,” and I waved them off. I wanted to get to speaking. I spoke against the war and for lowering the voting age to 18. I said, “I second this nomination as a symbol to all who place ideals above personal considerations, for that is what makes mankind meaningful.” People were mulling around, talking, not paying attention. So I said, “Thank you for your inattention.” That’s the line that’s remembered. Then the interviews started and the telegrams started pouring in. — as told to Erick Trickey