In response to this disinterest, the major networks have decided to reduce their coverage of the daily convention events to a nightly one-hour summary. In the old days, national TV and radio provided what they called gavel to gavel coverage of every convention moment and the national viewership was enormous. I can recall as a child sitting with my parents, glued to the TV, watching these political dramas unfold. We were thrilled over each vote cast, kept score on pads of paper and listened to speeches for memorable lines and moments. Today, style has replaced substance and technique has replaced content.
Exciting moments are no longer great oratory or unexpected votes or protests.
Substituting for that today are Hollywood produced videos and the like. I will still go to both conventions this year, as I have for the past two decades. I will go partly out of a sense of responsibility and partly out of a sense of history. There will be no such unscripted drama this year but the conventions will still be special and, in an important regard, worth watching. The conventions will set the tone and style and define the themes and issues for both parties.