The heckler and the heckled in the presidential campaign of 1968

Responding to concerns about Vietnam, civil rights, and other issues, vocal protestors were prominent in the “well‐heckled campaigns” of the major‐party candidates in the election year 1968. The author examines the hecklers and their tactics as well as the major candidates' strategies for dealing with their gadflies. Although the heckling was disruptive and often precluded rational debate, it occasionally fostered a closer look at the issues or forced political speakers to respond to real questions. The author concludes with an assessment of heckling's legitimacy in light of the First Amendment and insists that democratically minded people have two obligations: to protect the right of hecklers to speak out as well as the right of platform speakers to he heard by their intended auditors.