August 4, 1978 - Unemployment was up to 6.2% - an increase from 5.7% in June. And in direct contrast to today's drop of over 500 points, the Stock Market was going nutty with a dramatic rise of over 23 points during the week (in 1978 dollars, that was a big deal). President Carter was on the road selling his proposal to reform the Civil Service System. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance was on the road to the Middle East again, trying to keep the on-again/off-again peace talks going. Texas was getting deluged and there was flooding all over the state. In the UK, former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was arrested on attempted murder charges. Something about Male models. Things were heating up big-time between Vietnam and Cambodia with skirmishes and fire fights heading into all-out war. And to top it all off, Southern California builders were going into hysterics over a shortage of cement.

On some days they just scratched for news. But this was what was going on this particular August 4th, via the CBS World News Roundup with Dallas Townsend.

Since May 22nd this year came on a Sunday, and since it was such a busy news day in 1979, I thought I would include that day and today (May 23rd) in one post. A lot happened on those two days and leaving anything out would feel like giving history short shrift.

So here goes - News for May 22nd in 1979 began with an outpouring of violence over the verdict handed down in the Dan White murder case. White, you'll remember murdered San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk and whose defense had something to do with Twinkies. The verdict was Voluntary Manslaughter, not first degree murder (as was more or less assumed). The surprise verdict sparked a night of violence in San Francsico and a goodly degree of damage to relations between law enforcement and the Gay community. And on the subject of legal wrangling, the executions of Florida convicts John Spinkelink and Willie Darden were put on hold for 24 hours, pending appeals to the Supreme Court. In Canada, elections were about to take place with much speculation over the outcome. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance continued his tour of Europe with a visit in London and talks with Margaret Thatcher. On the scandal front, hearings continued on the ethics trial of Senator Herman Talmadge and hearings were getting underway for Bert Lance. And it was looking like the gas crisis was heading for a conclusion, at least in California where gas consumption was way down since rationing on the odd-even system began.

And on May 23rd the Canadian elections were over with a surprise rejection of Pierre Elliot Trudeau and challenger Joe Clark becoming the first Prime Minister to take the post at age 39. A second night of demonstrations in San Francisco were in marked contrast to the previous night with this one a celebration of what would have been Harvey Milk's 49th birthday. As reports portrayed it, the most violent thing to happen on that particular night was a street dance that lasted until midnight. On the political front - twelve renegade State Senators from Texas returned after a successful boycott in protest for separate Presidential Primary elections in Texas. The Middle East was ratcheting up again with a bus stop bombing in Israel blamed on the PLO and the coming Peace settlement between Israel and Egypt. And in El Salvador, 14 bodies of men, women and children were found after being gunned down by Police in a demonstration in support of jailed dissidents. And United Airlines, in an effort to drum up business after a 54 day Mechanics strike offered $180 one way tickets anywhere in the U.S.

A busy couple of days with those and other stories on the CBS World News Roundup for May 22 and 23, 1979.

By all accounts your typical April 14th in history. Nothing earth shattering, unless you were a kid in Rutherford New Jersey, in which case you'd be more than a little worried about the spike in Leukemia rates in school aged children. If you were having anything to do with the Panama Canal Treaty you'd be taking a break today because no one seemed to agree on anything in the Senate. If you were in the FBI you'd be taking heat over the Warrantless Investigation controversy currently heating up. If you were in the Israeli Army and you were hanging out in Southern Lebanon, you'd be getting to leave on this day. If you were part of a team of Middle East negotiators you'd be pulling your hair out yet again, trying to hammer out this Agreement. If you were Cyrus Vance you'd be touching down in Dar al-Salam, getting ready to deal with the Rhodesian issue. If you were Jimmy Carter you'd be getting an earful from Western Europe about the way you handle things. And if you were born on this day you'd be cold, wet and hungry and about to realize it all goes down from there.

Fun day, no?

(Cyrus Vance - not wanting to be an "I told you so")

As news of the failed Hostage rescue attempt continued to reverberate throughout the world, the Carter Administration was dealt another blow by the resignation of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. Vance initially tended his resignation days before the Operation took place, but it became official on April 28th as rumors of the resignation were rife throughout Washington.

Cyrus Vance: “As you know, I could not support the difficult decision taken by the President on the rescue operation in Iran. I therefore submitted my resignation to the President last week. I have told the President that I continue to support fully his policies on other Foreign Policy issues. I’ve assured him that he can count on my support for his continued leadership of our nation. He will always have my deepest respect and affection.”

Vance was immediately replaced by Warren Christopher then Edmund Muskie and the stalemate continued.

This clip is from NPR's All Things Considered from April 28, 1980. In addition to the resignation and the continuing fallout from the rescue attempt, there is also a bit of news on the upcoming 1980 election as well as news of the swarm of Cuban refugees landing in Miami. Interesting day all around, in case you missed it.