Is is just me, or does anyone else believe that subsequent national conventions should be virtual?

[MrScorpio]

I'm really impressed about how this is being done.

I doubt that Republicans can pull off a virtual national convention this well.

[dweller]

1. we've got 4 years to decide ..

and in that timeframe, society will change in many ways

✌🏼

[NanceGreggs]

2. I agree.

Speakers are able to focus on what they have to say, rather than on how the audience is reacting.

I've found that the convention speakers in the past were often 'thrown off' by people in the audience talking, people getting in and out of their seats, making noise, etc.

I'm really enjoying this format.

[Tumbulu]

3. Me too!

It is just so much better.

[Tumbulu]

5. It is fantastic to see where people are from

And to see them in their own places that they love.

I am thoroughly enjoying watching this convention.

I have no tv, but am watching on the Washington Post, which is not interrupting. Which is great.

[LisaM]

6. Maybe some kind of a mix.

I mean, the roll call was great, but it used to be fun on the floor back on the day, too.

And, conventions are a reward for party loyalists. My mom put in many, many years for the Democrats, meetings in all kinds of weather, served on the executive committee, ran the Democratic booth at the fair, and in 2004 got to be a delegate. It meant a lot to her and there are tens of thousands of others like her.

Milwaukee was looking forward to hosting, too. So while some things are great, overall I miss the vibe.

[DFW]

7. I wish I could follow this live

But I am back in Europe now, and back to my different-country-each-day work routine, so I can't afford to stay up all night and see how this is being done. I can only take your word for it that it looks good. However, I can also say from first hand experience that there is NOTHING like an in-person convention. I was at the 2008 Denver convention when Obama was first nominated, and it was truly amazing. You could hang and chat with virtually any prominent Democrat. They were everywhere, and they were accessible except for people like the Clintons. Senators, members of Congress, even Joe Biden, I got to meet and chat with any of them I wanted. Plus there were ALL kinds of side things going on that the media never reported.

There was one hall, apparently reserved for "the lefties," or whatever it is they called us, where we would hang out with people like Greg Palast, John Nichols, Amy Goodman, Don Siegelman, and listen to lectures. I even ran into a guy from my senior high school class that I hadn't seen since 1970!! There were side conferences for State delegations, and I can tell you that the Texas delegation put on a buffet worthy of the White House Christmas party. There were small lectures by people like John Conyers for teenagers, telling them how and why to get into politics. My brother had interned for him nearly 40 years before. Conyers didn't remember him, but he was tickled to hear me tell him about it all the same. Howard Dean organized a huge "Party for our Party" on one of the first nights. NONE of any of this was expected by me, and none of it was reported in any media ANYWHERE. DU even had a small representation as accredited press. I wasn't part of it but I did meet DUer Hissyspit briefly at a lecture by Dan Rather.

NONE of all this showed in any media reports, but it happened all the same. Sure, all the big stuff in the main hall was shown on TV, but there was SOOOO much more that received zero attention. If you weren't there, you never knew it happened. There will be much that is lacking with having the convention done the way it being done this year. The human contact there was at Denver just will be lost by doing it this way, even recognizing the necessity of it. If you've never been to a party convention, I can understand not feeling anything missing, but if you HAVE been to one, you understand that much in the way of contact and exchange of ideas is being lost.

[malaise]

18. You can watch it all on Youtube

Anytime

[DFW]

21. I'm back at work.

I don‘t have any time!

[colorado_ufo]

8. I am loving it, especially

the roll call of the states! Fun and colorful. When the delegates are on the floor, they sometimes go on FOREVER, like they are members of the tourism bureau. Keeping an equal time, with thoughtful presenters and information, the roll call passed very quickly.

[AZ8theist]

9. It's not just you...

The old conventions, when decisions were still up in the air, made for some drama.

I absolutely HATED John Kerry's speech after he was nominated. Not the content, but the fact he rushed through it so fast the cadence was almost annoying. He had to do it that way to keep the television audience watching for the ratings. It sucked.

I would just as well have it virtual. You can always go back and re-watch anything you missed.

[AmyStrange]

10. It's the wave of the future, and...

-

so is voting online.

You know it's gonna happen someday.
============

[Wanderlust988]

11. A mixture is good. We need a good balloon drop! :)

I miss the raucous crowds and speeches. However, some of the 'business' of the convention should be done virtually like the roll call of states and other such matters. Also I'm a political geek and I just missing the whole stagecraft of the thing.

[Buckeyeblue]

12. It makes a brokered convention tough

What if we had three strong candidates with no clear winner? Seems unlikely since regionalism is mostly dead but it could happen. But with all the ways to communicate, maybe you could have a distanced brokered convention. It would be interesting.

[Klaralven]

16. How many people are involved in the actual "brokering" of a brokered convention?

Could they get together on a smoke-filled Zoom call?

[soothsayer]

13. I'm still waiting for drumpf to cut the feed during Biden's speech

Or some other shenanigans.

But... boy I’m liking this.

On edit: I guess they could do that even with an in-person thing, so my fears are probably unfounded.

[uponit7771]

20. +1

[brooklynite]

14. Personally, no...

I love attending Conventions and engaging with other.

[Klaralven]

15. One advantage is that speakers look directly at the camera

Instead of their gaze wandering over the crowd and back to the teleprompters.

Another advantage is that speeches are short.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. No, but I do want them to keep the traveling roll call

That part was really cool.

[chriscan64]

19. I think the future will be a hybrid.

This is working well and was impressively put together with no existing playbook. Imagine the best parts of this convention playing on huge screens in front of large raucous crowds. Situations like 2008 when the size of the crowd necessitated the use of a football stadium have impact.