Convention

I remember watching the 1964 convention, the 1968, and all subsequent conventions. It used to be the only thing you could watch as there were only three networks and they had eight to ten hours of coverage per day. I remember the roll call votes with everyone getting a few seconds to promote their great state. All the speeches from people you had never heard of, but by the next convention were national leaders.

I know times have changed, that we now have thousands of different channels to choose from, but the coverage of the Democratic Convention this year has become little more than a sound bite. When the lone hour of primetime started tonight someone was giving a speech, a woman. I don't know who because you could only see her on the big screen behind Brian Williams who was saying something absolutely meaningless. I switched to PBS, they had people talking around a table, I tried CNN -- not even showing it, MSNBC had people talking. All that supposed coverage blocked over 90% of what you used to see, namely politicians most people had never heard of getting the chance to become known for future elections. It worked for both parties as a springboard for up and coming politicians. Now it's all about talking heads pushing their own agendas.

I kept asking myself while these guys and gals were talking almost non-stop about John McCain if they were aware that this was the Democratic Convention not the Republican Convention.