Political Conventions should be held in mid-August

[SoCalDem]

The whole city of DC seems to be pretty "empty" then , and congress seems to be gone during most (if not all) of the month.

Pushing it near labor day...and into September seems to present a whole host of issues, from sports to weather & back again.

Maybe even July..(after the 4th)

They should also be held in places that can accommodate LARGE crowds under cover, in case of rain, so they don't have to do last-minute-scrambles like what's happening now. It's too bad that so many people will get left out now at the last minute..

I guess Kaine picked Charlotte.. bad choice during hurricane season when storms can kick up anytime..

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. I wonder why they even have them at all.

[madinmaryland]

2. Better yet, start the Primaries four months later and have the conventions in early September.

Starting everything later would mean a shorter path to the election. We go over ten months now from the first primary to the General Election.

It really should not take that long. Six months is plenty to make a decision.

[NCTraveler]

3. 15 days wouldn't make much of a difference with the weather. nt.

[hlthe2b]

4. I think the RETHUGS should pick late January in the Alfred Packer Memorial Resort & Stadium

[DURHAM D]

5. The White House picked NC.

It is a swing state and Charlotte is not on the coast.

[SoCalDem]

6. I heard Kaine on an interview show, as he "apologized" for picking it

[Drunken Irishman]

7. It's pretty clear the Obama team decided for Sept. to maximize the bump as close to the election...

...as possible.

Obama could have picked July or August, but opted for September, like the Republicans the last two elections, because the ending of the conventions is ceremoniously the kickoff of the final leg of the campaign. You want momentum from it and holding the convention only two months out, instead of three or four, provides it.

Kerry and the Democrats held their convention in July and they got zero bump from it because most of America returned to summer activities afterward instead of focusing on the election. The hope here is that, when the convention is over, people won't be distracted and more in tune with the campaign.