After the riots, the immediate impacts were an already divided Democratic Party. “Since 1968, independent and on-the-fence voters have come to perceive that there are, in fact, two Democratic Parties represented by two kinds of candidates. There is the middle-income, middle-minded, socially more conservative, bread-and-butter Democratic Party. Then, there is the better-educated, higher-income, socially liberal Democratic Party.” Although the Mayor hoped to control the action on the streets, there was little he could do to forestall the growing split within the Democratic Party during the convention. Another immediate impacts include the upswing in support for the “law and order” stances of Richard Nixon and George Wallace. Humphrey’s standing
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Impacts in the long term include the way the public noted the media and its role in covering the political mishaps. Later due to the questioning of the effect of the media, the Federal Commission answered complaints about the press’ coverage of the violence. The Federal Commission were given questions that no one had an answer to making it increasingly easier for the press to retell the story in their words. “The National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence held public hearings in late 1968 to evaluate whether the press contributed to such confrontations in Chicago and other cities. The press was cleared of complicity, but arguments about the impact of mass media on protest activity were to continue for years to come.” One of the farthest impacts of the demonstrators in Chicago were the changes they made in the way they choose presidential candidates. The violence and the unrest at the convention was interpreted as a sign that the back-room selection of candidates for office needed to be opened up to wider citizen participation. “By 1972, the rules governing selection had been changed dramatically, providing for an expanded primary system and a selection process for delegates to the Democratic convention including significant numbers of women, young people, and racial minorities.” Finally, the Chicago convention became a symbolic event in history for the conflict between "old" and "new" politics. For many demonstrators, Humphrey's presidential candidacy represented the continuation of the back-room politics which ignored public dissent on Vietnam and other issues. “They viewed the convention as a confrontation between traditional machine politics, represented by Daley and the Democratic Party's old guard, and the new (and often idealized) politics of increased citizen participation, represented by McCarthy supporters and young protest leaders.” The events in Chicago of 1968 can not be the main reason the changes in the
Impacts in the long term include the way the public noted the media and its role in covering the political mishaps. Later due to the questioning of the effect of the media, the Federal Commission answered complaints about the press’ coverage of the violence. The Federal Commission were given questions that no one had an answer to making it increasingly easier for the press to retell the story in their words. “The National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence held public hearings in late 1968 to evaluate whether the press contributed to such confrontations in Chicago and other cities. The press was cleared of complicity, but arguments about the impact of mass media on protest activity were to continue for years to come.” One of the farthest impacts of the demonstrators in Chicago were the changes they made in the way they choose presidential candidates. The violence and the unrest at the convention was interpreted as a sign that the back-room selection of candidates for office needed to be opened up to wider citizen participation. “By 1972, the rules governing selection had been changed dramatically, providing for an expanded primary system and a selection process for delegates to the Democratic convention including significant numbers of women, young people, and racial minorities.” Finally, the Chicago convention became a symbolic event in history for the conflict between "old" and "new" politics. For many demonstrators, Humphrey's presidential candidacy represented the continuation of the back-room politics which ignored public dissent on Vietnam and other issues. “They viewed the convention as a confrontation between traditional machine politics, represented by Daley and the Democratic Party's old guard, and the new (and often idealized) politics of increased citizen participation, represented by McCarthy supporters and young protest leaders.” The events in Chicago of 1968 can not be the main reason the changes in the