Deadspin, the hybrid sports/politics site owned by Sen. Ted Cruz, was inspired by O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing Thursday to ask its readers the first really big news story they recall being aware of as a kid.
What's the first big news story you were aware of as a kid? https://t.co/dTTNyDuUxR pic.twitter.com/q7kOaNeBcE
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) July 20, 2017
The replies can only make you feel old/young https://t.co/435suduXIV
— Rachel Joy Larris (@RachelLarris) July 21, 2017
The tweet really took off, but aside from the answers just being interesting, they help paint of picture of today’s working journalists and just how old they are. This editor, for one, is feeling really, really old, which is why Sen. Orrin Hatch’s office once again deserves special mention.
The Battle of Bunker Hill. https://t.co/KTaxxpfxKY
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) July 20, 2017
Phew … so there’s somebody out there who’s, um, comparatively seasoned. Here’s where some other media types stand for comparison.
Blackout of 1965 https://t.co/jjocqqTyfh
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) July 20, 2017
The great Northeast Blackout of 1965. I was almost 5 and it scared the heck out of me. https://t.co/2s4l7JjFSs
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) July 21, 2017
JFK assassination for me. https://t.co/ACPyyRHGJ7
— Rich Tandler (@TandlerNBCS) July 21, 2017
Good timing for this, since today is the anniversary: Moon landing. https://t.co/mfUSMtPvxl
— Jay Posner (@sdutPosner) July 20, 2017
Apollo 11 – first man on the moon https://t.co/hzUYuWDk5M
— Steve Gorman (@SGSFOX) July 21, 2017
Some guy landed on the moon, supposedly https://t.co/ipLi1qtoY1
— Mathew Ingram (@mathewi) July 21, 2017
Watergate. And it’s been in my head ever since https://t.co/iM3pG67IuY
— Evan Smith (@evanasmith) July 21, 2017
Watching boring-ass Watergate hearings while mom complained they were pre-empting her soap operas. https://t.co/x6uj8SHwrr
— jon gabriel (@exjon) July 21, 2017
Patty Hearst. https://t.co/pYrN9ebdWw
— Amy Argetsinger (@AmyArgetsinger) July 21, 2017
Nixon resignation. https://t.co/QEvbmbKvo4
— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) July 21, 2017
Carter-Ford Presidential Debate https://t.co/d1IWJbd3eM
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) July 21, 2017
Guatemalan earthquake of 1976. We had to sleep outside bc of aftershocks. Phone lines down & road closed by debris. https://t.co/ehtf1Yws4s
— Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) July 21, 2017
Iran hostage crisis. Still remember watching @Nightline, including "Day ___" graphic, for months with my parents. https://t.co/fltx6oBZfX
— Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) July 21, 2017
I remember Reagan's inauguration, the Iran hostage release and the first space shuttle all being within a few weeks of one another. https://t.co/lJHbuYFmlI
— Chris Long (@ChrisLongKSTP) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/TaraAriano/status/888197461839196160
Reagan getting shot. https://t.co/RomSGw6y5r
— Aaron Schatz ? (@FO_ASchatz) July 20, 2017
Ronald Reagan being shot outside the Hilton by Hinckley, I happened to be home sick that day. https://t.co/D2TlrOzBYk
— Nada Bakos (@nadabakos) July 21, 2017
Iran-Contra. https://t.co/5Cmb2mFQNG
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) July 21, 2017
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster https://t.co/Xy485D0hRH
— Rakesh Agrawal (@RakeshAgrawal) July 21, 2017
Probably The Challenger explosion in 1986 https://t.co/i8mp0MTAeF
— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) July 21, 2017
Challenger explosion. I was almost 6. https://t.co/YFenP2QWtb
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) July 21, 2017
Challenger disaster https://t.co/GynqIL55Xg
— Blake News (@blakehounshell) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/trenni/status/888125334503047169
Challenger explosion. My kindergarten teacher was crying. https://t.co/XlYGFqn9qG
— Bryce Durbin (@dicebourbon) July 21, 2017
Berlin Wall coming down https://t.co/ora6NfaYju
— Herb Lawrence (@Ecnerwal23) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/dcseifert/status/888202019261091840
I love hearing people's answers to this question. Mine: 1991 Soviet coup attempthttps://t.co/SHV6ix5dEJ
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) July 20, 2017
Magic Johnson HIV announcement – summer 1991. https://t.co/2b1Xp3dpnm
— Mike Vainisi (@mvain) July 21, 2017
First Gulf War https://t.co/DvHEKEKOJq
— Ted Nesi (@TedNesi) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/888192247438733313
The LA riots in 1992. I could see the smoke from the playground of my elementary school, and I was glued to TV seeing the fires on screen https://t.co/wNFenz8VSb
— Salvador Hernandez (@SalHernandez) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/Susan_Hennessey/status/888185476859015168
Princess Diana's death. https://t.co/vjlD5HzY32
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) July 21, 2017
the one pictured. I remember because it interrupted the NBA Finals and I'm still upset about that. https://t.co/GTqILfYaQS
— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) July 21, 2017
It actually is the O.J. chase. My parents drove a white Bronco at the time. They got rid of it soon after. https://t.co/sgPz4gRKpP
— Sam Charles (@samjcharles) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/Spruke/status/888190732510670853
bush v. gore, i was very mad about it! https://t.co/5uwTlptWb0
— eve peyser (@evepeyser) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/TonyaJoRiley/status/888203518628302851
I think it was 9/11 https://t.co/i7EBDCj3le
— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/ebruenig/status/888185823358799873
Clinton winning the 2016 primary
That was like 20 years ago right https://t.co/gsKjLcyqxC
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) July 21, 2017
Pardon us getting all sentimental, but it really is sad to think so many could have lived through so much together and yet ended up so fractured as a nation.
* * *
Related:
Sen. Orrin Hatch doesn’t even need words to conquer PETA’s bacon challenge https://t.co/FTXM43BpmS
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 29, 2017