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Thursday, October 12, 2006

October 12, 1960: UN In Disorder, JFK Calls Nixon 'Trigger-Happy,' Boston Man Faces Cuban Firing Squad, Lodge Pledges Negro in Nixon Cabinet

The United Nations General Assembly dissolved into disorder today as Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe on his deskcalled Phillippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong a "jerk" and a "lackey" after Sumulong said Eastern Europe had been "deprived of political and civil rights" by the Soviet Union. "Mr. Khrushchev thereupon pulled off his right shoe, stood up and brandished the shoe at the Phillippine delegate on the other side of the hall. He then banged the shoe on his desk," the New York Times would report.

"Later, during the debate on colonialism in which tempers flared among several delegations, Mr. Khrushchev alternately shouted, waved a brawney right arm, shook his finger and removed his shoe a second time. The second shoe incident occurred during a speech by Francis O. Wilcox, an Assistant United States Secretary of State."

Vice President Richard Nixon would be a "trigger-happy president" and "invites war" by committing to defend Quemor and Matsu, two islands off of Taiwan that both it and the mainland claim as their own.

"Should I become the president, I will take whatever steps are necessary to defend our security and to maintain the cause of world freedom -- but I will not risk American lives and a nuclear war by permitting any other nation to drag us into the wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time through an unwise commitment that is unsound militarily, unnecessary to our security and unsupported by our allies," Kennedy said.

A 28-year-oldl Boston man has been condemned to death by firing squad in Cuba, along with 12 Cubans. All were charged with attempting to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro.

The Republican candidate for vice president pledged today to have a Negro in the Cabinet, if his party wins the White House. Henry Cabot Lodge, campaigning in Harlem, did not consult his running mate, Vice President Richard Nixon, before making his pledge. Nixon, who was in California, said he would "appoint the best man possible without regard to race, creed or color." An aide told a New York Times reporter that Nixon would not appoint someone just because he was a Negro.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said today it would launch commercial satellites into space at cost to encourage private industry to develop a communications network in orbit.

A bomb blast in Manhattan today -- the third in 11 days -- injured 33 people. The explosion occurred in the Times Square subway station.

In Pittsburgh the NY Yankees tied the world series with a 12-0 win.

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