Apparently the GOP decided to bump up against the Democrats’ convention, according to this wire service story:
The Republicans plan to hold their 2008 nominating convention just three days after the Democrats wrap up theirs, setting up the closest political conventions in 50 years.
Republicans on Thursday announced that their convention will be Sept. 1-4. Democrats had already set their dates for Aug. 25-28, just after the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
The timing of the GOP event could undercut any bounce that a Democratic nominee might get from the party gathering and would give the Republicans the last word politically.
Personally, I would have found it far more entertaining for both parties to have simultaneous conventions. Dueling rabid partisans on the talk shows and the blogs, energized by the conventions….it could have been…fun.
However, in this mode…well, we get to have two weeks full of political hydrophobia.