They’re getting ready to blow up the balloons for next month’s Democratic and Republican national conventions. Ah, the balloons! The classic grand finale drop symbolizes the end of these quadrennial gatherings, much the way the Times Square ball drop is an essential part of New Year’s Eve.
And that, critics point out, is what’s wrong with modern political conventions. (Although as a former network journalist, I can attest TV loves that part most of all.) Sure, the balloons are pretty and fun; but in a larger sense, opponents say, they signify the worst of the four-day event: It’s entertainment over substance.
Drop the show biz razzmatazz instead of the balloons, they argue. Replace all the songs and warm-and-fuzzy videos with the fact-based information that voters need in order to make informed decisions on Election Day.
Yet that’s the very approach that made public television the broadcast powerhouse it is today. Have you checked C-SPAN’s standings in the ratings lately? Well-intentioned as it is, the idea is dead on arrival. With more entertainment options and less free time available than ever before, the last thing most hardworking Americans want is to spend two weeks every four summers watching a parade of politicians bloviating in prime time.
But the premise is flawed at a much deeper level. Because proponents for more substantive events completely miss the point. A modern political convention isn’t about the folks watching at home. It’s a party for the party itself. And under the gala exterior, a lot of important activity goes on that’s never caught by TV cameras.