Anyone else notice the date on the wedding invitation for Roger's daughter?  November 23rd, 1963...I'm guessing that the events of 11/22/1963 will serve as the backdrop for the season finale.

Great observation!

I couldn't quite make out what Don was listening to on the console radio, but it seemed to have something to do with a scandal and the NY governors office. (Heaven forbid.)
At the party, I think they aluded to Nelson Rockefeller getting divorced and marrying another. But about that same time there was a political scandal involving graft and bribery in the State Liquor Authority. And now Bacardi Rum is one of SC's clients? Coincidence?

Nelson married Happy on May 4th, 1963.

Wasn't Don's 3 year contract dated 7-23-63? Or was it '65? (hence all of the references to Vietnam) I couldn't quite make out the last digit in the year.

Don signed the contract "7-23-63".  I was kind of put off by the two grifters that Don picked up.  They said they were getting married so the guy would not get drafted into the Viet Nam conflict.  That seemed a bit to premature for any real red flags about Viet Nam.  Large troop deployments did not really start until 1965-66 so 1963--a bit premature I think.

It's too soon for talk about Vietnam, in 1963 it was still a small item in the news.  As conscription was still alive and well at the time, the kid could have been dodging the draft, but it was more just a BS story to rob Don, than anything else.  The juvenile delinquents WERE a problem then.

But Pete also mentions that demand for planes in Vietnam is helping business so the references don't end with the hitchhikers. It all seemed a bit off to me.

Pete's mention of the plane orders for Vietnam was appropriate, but they should have just left it at that, IMO.  It was the conversation with the kids that seemed contrived. 

Plenty happened in the 60's where they shouldn't need to play with the timeline like this.  Ideally, they'd just make each season a year, with things wrapping up in 1968 (Robert Kennedy's assassination, or Don's 40th birthday and/or suicide) or 1969 (maybe Peggy will assume control of SC, or branch-off to start her own firm, coinciding with the moon shot). 

I'm really hoping this series survives long enough to cover the entire 60's without rushing things.

A few things:

I like the idea of each season covering a year, and I was a little upset that they skipped 1961 (my birth year), but I can see why they may have done so. The show was critically acclaimed, but still didn't have the viewership to ensure renewal. '62 had the more interesting and dramatic looming Cuban Missle Crisis as a backdrop, and may have been able to boost their numbers.
I really enjoy seeing the salad days of the 60's though, and don't want them rushing too quickly into the latter turbulent years. There has been more than enough coverage of that era, I think.

As to Vietnam, I believe the US troops were still "advisors" in '63. A draftee had a moderate chance of being shipped there, but more likely would've been sent to Germany or the Korean DMZ. Vietnam probably wouldn't have induced the fear for potential draftees that it did later.
Interestingly, in '63 the US covertly supported a coup in Iraq, led by the Ba'ath party against the communist controled gov't.

Finally, those clean-cut delinquents reminded me very much of similar characters in early Roger Corman schlock films. Out of control youths shocking decent America!