RNC Announces Convention Dates
The 2008 Republican National Convention will begin 9/1 and end 9/4, the RNC said today.
Party officials have in the past few months quietly reached out to political coverage decision-makers at television networks to test their reaction to those dates.
In '05, DNC Chair Howard Dean announced that the party would hold its convention from 8/25-8/28, effectively boxing GOPers into either holding the convention the same week as the Democrats -- which the RNC rejected -- or holding it the week after.
Rules in several states prevent presidential nominees from being added to the general election ballot after a certain point -- usually early September.
Two other advantages to a late convention: if both party nominees decide to accept the federal match for the general, they'll get to spend it over a relatively shorter period of time. And the '08 Beijing Olympics will not intrude with post-convention media coverage -- Even though the Olympics were delayed two weeks -- China wanted that, apparently -- they end by 8/24 -- right before the start of the DNC convention.
The RNC has allowed 31 cities to bid for the convention; the Dems solicited bids from 11. The Dems will announce their city in late '06; the GOP will announce it in early '07. [MARC AMBINDER]