It was 1960, the Democratic convention was in Los Angeles, and John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were battling for the presidential nomination. Neither candidate had enough delegates before the first ballot roll call began and no one was sure what would happen when the votes were tallied. Kennedy ended up winning on that first ballot.  (I may be wrong but I seem to remember that it was Wisconsin that put him over the top.)

Like now, the tradition then was that the candidate didn't show up at the convention until the final day, when he (in 1960 it was always a man) arrived to accept the nomination and give the big speech. But Kennedy surprised everyone when he showed up shortly after the balloting ended. I have a vague memory of him saying something to the effect that he wasn't allowed to say officially at the time whether he would accept the nomination but he was sure everyone had an idea what his answer would be.

I can't help but ask whether the Obama campaign was taking a play out of the JFK play book last night when he showed up at the convention. It had exactly the same impact -- electrifying the delegates and getting him air time on the news -- that the Kennedy appearance had in 1960.

You have to wonder whether the next step is for the candidate to wear a grey suit at the debates.