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Today in history


Published: July 15, 2008

Today is Tuesday, July 15, the 197th day of 2008. There are 169 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 15, 1971, President Nixon startled the country by announcing he would visit the People's Republic of China.

On this date:

In 1606, Dutch painter Rembrandt was born in Leiden, Netherlands.

In 1870, Georgia became the last Confederate state readmitted to the Union.

In 1870, Manitoba entered confederation as the 5th Canadian province.

In 1918, the Second Battle of the Marne, resulting in an Allied victory, began during World War I.

In 1948, President Truman was nominated for another term of office by the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1958, President Eisenhower ordered U.S. Marines to Lebanon, at the request of that country's president, Camille Chamoun, in the face of a perceived threat by Muslim rebels.

In 1964, Sen. Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona was nominated for president by the Republican National Convention in San Francisco.

In 1976, a 36-hour kidnap ordeal began for 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver as they were abducted near Chowchilla, Calif., by three gunmen and imprisoned in an underground cell. (The captives escaped unharmed.)

In 1978, President Carter, in West Germany for an economic summit, presided over a "town meeting" during which he fielded questions from about 1,000 Berliners.

In 1997, fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot dead outside his Miami home; suspected gunman Andrew Phillip Cunanan was found dead eight days later.

Ten years ago: Three days of ceremonies to bury Russia's last czar and his family, who were killed by the Bolsheviks, began in the city of Yekaterinburg. The Congressional Budget Office estimated federal surpluses of $1.55 trillion over the next decade.

Five years ago: The Bush administration dramatically raised its budget deficit projections to $455 billion for the current fiscal year and $475 billion for the next, record levels fed by the limp economy, tax cuts and the battle against terrorism. Scott McClellan assumed his duties as White House press secretary. Philadelphia's archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, retired. Tex Schramm, who turned the Dallas Cowboys into "America's Team," died in Dallas at age 83. American-born singer Elisabeth Welch died in London at age 99. The American League beat the National League in the All-Star baseball game 7-6.

One year ago: The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles announced it was settling clergy sex-abuse cases for $660 million. The Philadelphia Phillies lost their 10,000th game, 10-2, to the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Philip Carey is 83. Author Clive Cussler is 77. Actors Alex Karras and Ken Kercheval are 73. Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, is 72. Actor Patrick Wayne is 69. Actor Jan-Michael Vincent is and Rhythm-and-blues singer Millie Jackson are 64. Rock singer-musician Peter Lewis (Moby Grape) is 63. Singer Linda Ronstadt is 62. Rock musician Artimus Pyle is 60. Actor Terry O'Quinn is 56. Rock musicians Marky Ramone and Joe Satriani are 52. Country singer-songwriter Mac McAnally is 51. Model Kim Alexis and actor Willie Aames are 48. Actor-director Forest Whitaker and actress Lolita Davidovich are 47. Actress Brigitte Nielsen is 45. Rock musician Jason Bonham and actor Kristoff St. John are 42. Rock musician Phillip Fisher and rhythm-and-blues singer Stokey (Mint Condition) are 41. Actors Eddie Griffin and Stan Kirsch are 40. Actor Reggie Hayes is 39. Rock musician John Dolmayan and actor Scott Foley are 36. Actor Brian Austin Green is 35. Rapper Jim Jones is 32. Actress Lana Parrilla and rock musician Ray Toro (My Chemical Romance) re 31. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kia Thornton (Divine) is 27.

Thought for Today: "It is astonishing what force, purity, and wisdom it requires for a human being to keep clear of falsehoods." — Margaret Fuller, American journalist and social critic (1810-1850).