Ho Hum, It's Political Convention Time 
~ By James Banzer

   Here come the political conventions. Try not to yawn.

   Conventions were not always dull. History abounds with stories of high convention drama.

   One big party came in 1920, when the Democrats nominated John Davis for president. It took 104 ballots. Republican "Silent Cal" Calvin Coolege went on to beat Davis, who then became a rather forgetable footnote in political history.

   Who among those that were around in 1968 could forget the police clubbings of the peaceniks, as the Democrats were convening in Mayor Richard Daley's Chicago? The party picked Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey in that one. The cop clubbings were not forgotten. Humphrey went on to lose to Republican Richard Nixon.

   No one who saw what was happening in Chicago in 1952 could forget the political theatrics on the infant television medium. The nation waited breathlessly to see whether General Dwight D. Eisenhower or Ohio Senator Robert Taft would win the Republican nomination. Taft had the most delegates going in. After much wheeling and dealing, Eisenhower had the nomination and the hearts of the American people going out of that convention.

   Times have changed drastically. Regardless of what the leaders of the two major parties might try to tell us, the conventions provide evidence that Democrats and Republicans have remained very close in their approaches to the American political system. They are sharply divided on issues, but certainly not in the way they pick their standard bearers. 

   In recent American history, the presidential primary season has determined the winners of the party nods. The exceptions have applied to the party in which there was an incumbent in the race.

   It's a basically matter of money, with the candidate who has the most moolah being able to buy his - and maybe soon her - way onto the top spot on the party platform. Today, it's that way more than ever.

   The primary has turned into a nomination shortcut. The object of the game is to pour millions of dollars into the first of the primary or caucus states, then win most or all of them. When the candidate has won most of the committed delegates of the first handful of states, he has generally been able to sail on to victory in his respective party.

   Most of the rest of the country has primaries as well, but by the time the candidates are up for consideration in the Johnny-come-lately states, it makes no difference. At that point, the big party game is over.

   The primary elections were not always a staple of American politics. The first statewide presidential primary election in the nation did not happen until 1901 in Florida. Presidential primary importance has grown slowly ever since.

   Conventions are now little more than an orchestrated show. Little of substance gets decided on the convention floor. Directions of both parties were settled long before 2004 convention delegates were to gather in Boston and New York.

   This election cycle, the Republicans had their candidate by virtue of the fact that he is the incumbent. The Democrats chose their man in that crazy presidential primary system that boils down to nothing more than a popularity contest in a few states.

   With the Democrats in Boston, and the Republicans in New York, it's unlikely there will be big floor fights. The primary season made the decisions for the Democrats. The incumbent made the decisions for the Republicans. Some of the lack of an element of surprise has to do with the fact that everyone will already know who the vice presidential candidates are going to be. Much of it relates to the television networks having decided years ago to start cutting back in their coverage. 

   There has been some discussion about a national presidential primary. That would seem a long way off at this time. It might not be such a good idea anyway. It would help solve the problem of a handful of states making the decisions, but depending on what kind of formula were employed, it could also further erode the purpose of having convention delegates in the first place.

   Whatever happens with the conventions of the future, the fun of watching them isn't going to be quite the same. Reality television on the major networks just ain't what it used to be. We'll just have to tune to C-SPAN for any hint of excitement.

  James Banzer has enjoyed a long career in broadcast news and is now writing on his observations about the world around us. He is currently residing in Louisville, Kentucky. You may send an e-mail to him at jamesbanzer@yahoo.com. 

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