This day in history

[November 04, 2008]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, Nov 4, the 309th day of 2008. There are 57 days left in the year. This is Election Day.

Today's highlight in history:

On Nov. 4, 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began as militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants. For some of the hostages, it was the start of 444 days of captivity.

On this date:

In 1884, Democrat Grover Cleveland was elected to his first term as president, defeating Republican James G. Blaine.

In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in Egypt.

In 1924, Nellie T. Ross of Wyoming was elected the nation's first female governor to serve out the remaining term of her late husband, William B. Ross.

In 1942, during World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

In 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson.

In 1956, Soviet troops moved in to crush the Hungarian Revolution.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the White House as he defeated President Carter by a strong margin.

In 1988, in a ceremony at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, President Reagan signed a measure providing for U.S. participation in an anti-genocide treaty signed by President Truman in 1948.

In 1991, Ronald Reagan opened his presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif., with a dedication attended by President Bush and former Presidents Carter, Ford and Nixon -- the first-ever gathering of five past and present U.S. chief executives.

In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli minutes after attending a festive peace rally.

Ten years ago: In the wake of disappointing election results in which House Republicans saw their majority trimmed, GOP lawmakers talked of quickly wrapping up impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and raised the prospect of challenges to Speaker Newt Gingrich or other party leaders.

Five years ago: Firefighters in San Diego County contained the biggest and deadliest of Southern California's wildfires. Following a conservative outcry over a made-for-TV movie about former President Ronald Reagan, CBS scrapped plans to televise "The Reagans," sending it off to the Showtime cable network instead.

One year ago: King Tutankhamen's face was unveiled for the first time to the public more than 3,000 years after the pharaoh was buried in his Egyptian tomb. Citigroup Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Charles Prince, beset by the company's billions of dollars in losses from investing in bad debt, resigned. Paula Radcliffe outlasted Gete Wami to win her second New York City Marathon in 2:23:09. Martin Lel of Kenya won his second men's title, in 2:09:04.

Today's birthdays: Former CBS news anchorman Walter Cronkite is 92. Actress Doris Roberts is 78. Actress Loretta Swit is 71. Rhythm-and-blues singer Harry Elston (Friends of Distinction) is 70. Blues singer Delbert McClinton is 68. First lady Laura Bush is 62. Actress Markie Post is 58. Rock singer-musician Chris Difford (Squeeze) is 54. Country singer Kim Forester (The Forester Sisters) is 48. Actress-comedian Kathy Griffin is 48. Actor Ralph Macchio is 47. "Survivor" host Jeff Probst is 47. Actor Matthew McConaughey is 39. Rapper-producer Sean "Puffy" Combs is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer Shawn Rivera (Az Yet) is 37. Actress Heather Tom is 33. Rhythm-and-blues/gospel singer George Huff is 28.

Thought for today: "I know nothing grander, better exercise, better digestion, more positive proof of the past, the triumphant result of faith in human kind, than a well-contested American national election." -- Walt Whitman, American poet (1819-1892)

[Associated Press]

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