What is the use of having conventions? It's already decided, isn't it?

[Festivito]

Platform chiseled. Candidates announced.

Why should people watch? Why should networks cover it?

[tonyt53]

1. As per the movie "The Rocketeer", "It's all part of the show".

Networks gotta have something.

[Festivito]

4. So are reruns of Charles in Charge. eom

[MineralMan]

2. Process. It's all process.

Delegates have to cast their votes. The rest is secondary, but primary to publicity about the process.

[Festivito]

6. There are lots of processes. Why this going nowhere show... eom

[emulatorloo]

9. To introduce candidates to a broad audience (people who aren't political junkies)

Curious why are you against the convention?

[Festivito]

17. I see it as political wonk theater preaching to the chior and boring the ones we need to reach. eom

So boring, they'll tune to a repeat of Lost in Space before watching space for the lost and directionless with nothing to do and nowhere to go for a week.

[emulatorloo]

20. So how do you explain the 'convention bounce' candidates get in polls after the convention?

It is not just the Choir that watches.

I expect Dem convention will be pretty darn good. Great line-up of speakers.

If you think it is boring and "lost and directionless," that's more about your attitude than those folks who will watch and get fired up for electing Democrats in November.

[Festivito]

24. True dat. But, one sided talk for a week LONG LONG LONG before the voting.

Blip. Followed by: What have you done for me lately?

[NashuaDW]

3. ... and why are the taxpayers paying for them?

Each party get over $18 million every four years for its prime-time infomercial.

That's money that could be used for a lot of other things.

[Festivito]

8. Ahh. It's because of socialism. The kind of socialism the GOP likes.

Gonna get millions of tax dollars. Gotta spend it. Wouldn't be prudent not to.

Makes sense.

Not a good reason that we fund it. But, makes sense on why it would still go on the air.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. They are pep rallies, basically.

Or, in the case of the GOP convention, train wrecks. That one might be worth watching just for the horror.

[Festivito]

10. There are better pep rallys to broadcast. But, the GOP trainwreck will be fun for some of us.

Wonder if they'll have that pathetic guy walking around in a Linconesque top hat. Or, some empty headed star talking to an empty chair.

I do hope they'll have a topper to those.

[Her Sister]

7. Introduction & Cohesion & Coalescing & Fleshing Out of Main Messages/Players

[Festivito]

12. Sounds like a big government paid for ad.

The introduction is done. The cohesion accomplished. The coalescing complete. The flesh already flayed and the main messages and players announced.

Yawn...

[Her Sister]

14. Yeah but it is now on one Spectacular Happening! Like a rally!

[Festivito]

28. Ahh. Happenings and pep rallys. Ahh, recalling my mispent youth!

Like Allen Sherman's My Aunt Mini wore a miniskirt.

...
She's cool. She's hip, a gas, a trip.
She went to a happening
but, didn't know it was happening.
and then she go-goed at a discotheque
Uncle Morris was a nervous wreck
Poor old Uncle Morris only lasted half a chorus
...

(I could go on and on and on)

[PatSeg]

11. Lots of free publicity

When I was a kid, it was a very real event, almost like a holiday.

[Festivito]

13. When I was a kid, they decided something of interest. Now. What? eom

[Her Sister]

15. Haha! You're really against it!

[Festivito]

21. I quit IT so my casket would not weigh 550 extra pounds. I'm not against IT. eom

[Her Sister]

23. Awwww! Cute!

[PatSeg]

25. I know

Even as a kid, I thought it was exciting. Now it is just a big show, but like I said, it is publicity for the candidates, though not always good publicity. Clint Eastwood and his chair-that was unforgettable.

[Festivito]

29. The GOP's will be just a overly scripted version of Just for Laughs.

More like one of those anything but real reality shows.

We do need a good drinking game to go with it.

[PatSeg]

30. I get a kick out of the ridiculous hats

and outfits some of the delegates wear. I remember the stupid purple heart band-aids in 2004. These people have no class whatsoever. The contrasts between the RNC and DNC conventions is so dramatic.

[Festivito]

33. Oh, they have lots of class...

Shame it's all low.

[PatSeg]

34. Ha, ha, ha

Very, very LOW!!!

[randome]

31. Don't you mean 'unforgiven'?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]

[PatSeg]

32. Yes, "unforgiven"

[BobbyDrake]

16. Like caucuses, conventions are an anachronism of politics past.

Think of them like a vestigial body part, like pinky toes or the appendix. Sure, we could survive without them, but for now, they're still part of us.

[Festivito]

18. More like a sneeze. A part of me I could do without.

Especially when there is no real purpose to it.

[Sunlei]

19. because they still have to be nominated, not official until they actually sign on the dotted line

It will be be fun to see all those people speaking live, their words remembered forever more

Not much fun for Republicans, they didn't organize their convention until this past Sunday. No time to script or practice. Someone, at least one is bound to go rogue.

[Festivito]

27. Signing can happen anywhere. Although, yes, the GOP will be fun for laughs, but frustrating.

The pundits will make a stinky noisy porta-john sound, smell and look like a flutter of rose petals when it comes to the GOP. And, if we saved babies from certain death it would be called a stunt.

I guess I think our money would be better spent elsewhere. But, it's paid for, so let's keep our hands down until the ride starts and stay inside until the ride comes to a complete halt.

[sofa king]

22. It's not all show.

The Democratic Convention, at least, is still organized in such a way that a truly dangerous candidate can be spiked though the votes of superdelegates.

This system emerged more-or-less directly from the rise of racist George Wallace, who in 1968 attempted to usurp the Democratic Party in much the same way that racist Donald Trump has successfully done with the Republicans this year.

I know a lot of us Bernie people were put off by this system, but it remains a highly important safety-valve designed to make sure that a Trump cannot happen to us.

[Festivito]

26. A fly's chance in a blast furnace. That won't glue eyes to the TV.

But, it is a decent response and reason.

What we really need is better systems for voting. But, I digress.

[Gothmog]

35. I will tell you when I get back

I am looking forward to being a delegate to the convention

[Festivito]

38. I hope it to be wonderful. eom

[LexVegas]

36. Ask President Barack Obama. nt

[JI7]

37. YUP

[Festivito]

39. That was one great speech. eom