What were campaign ads like 50 years ago?

Compared to political attack ads you see now, messages that ran during the 1968 campaigns in Wisconsin might seem tame.  Congressman Vernon Thomson accused his Democratic opponent, a La Crosse area school board member, of skipping board meetings.  Thomson also claimed his challenger was falsely trying to show an interest in flood control.  Meanwhile, Gov. Warren Knowles was running for a third term, and he made drunk driving a campaign issue.  One Knowles ad showed a picture of a 9-year-old girl, and asked “Will she be dead on the highway in another nine?”

Oktoberfest was known for attracting famous entertainers in its early years.  In 1968, the fest hosted circus clown Emmett Kelly Jr.  And two popular TV actors appeared onstage as their characters at a rodeo in West Salem.  Frank Sutton performed as Sgt. Carter from the “Gomer Pyle” show, and Ken Curtis played Festus from “Gunsmoke.”

Doris Day had a new TV series on CBS in 1968, the same year that she did her last movie, the family comedy “With Six You Get Eggroll.”  The movie also featured Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey, Jamie Farr, Alice Ghostley, and in his first movie role, George Carlin.  Fifty years ago, 1968, yesterday in La Crosse.