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By Bill Schneider
CNN Senior Political Analyst
Bill Schneider has covered political conventions for more than 30 years and has covered them for CNN since the 1992 election.
(CNN) — Conventions are relics. They don’t decide the nominees anymore — that’s been turned over to primary voters. No one pays much attention to party platforms except a few ideological activists.
So why do we still have them? Two reasons: money and publicity.
Parties can raise big money at conventions. Major contributors are treated to endless receptions and special events.
The actual convention business — nominations, acceptance speeches, platforms — could easily be completed in a weekend. But the process is stretched out over four days to provide plenty of time for fundraising.
The convention has evolved into a four-day “infomercial,” a slick production aimed at promoting the candidate and giving the ticket a bounce in the polls.
In 1972, it was sensational news when the press discovered a detailed, minute-by-minute script for the Republican convention. The Democrats had no such script. The 1972 Democratic convention was far more democratic — and chaotic. The nominee ended up giving his acceptance speech in the middle of the night, with disastrous results.
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bill i just cant even understand how john mcain can be even close with obama . the economy is in failre mode unable to diviliver the american dream to millions of hard working tax paying americans . its never looked better for the democrats the war , alkieda gaining strength along with the teleban in afganastan . iraq the out come far from certin . mcain represents the rich he has seven holmes for petssake thats not middle america .we are spemding trillions of our hard ernt tax dollers on war and death . wht was mr mcain talking about the other day civilised countrys do not invade other nations in the 21 centry , right john were have you been for the last eaight years asleep ? its a no brainer the democrats social spending is cheaper bye miles than bush/mcain and the gop . national security , the gop ignored intellgence that could have averted 911 , we were attacked under the republicans , no its the republicans that are weak on national security. this why i think they are telling fibs about the polls . its not possible under the cercamstances for mcain to be close to obama .
party conventions exist to kick start the partys election campaign . and to make the medias hands sticky with barbaque sauce ,