Candidate and convention confusion

Boston really screwed up when it accepted the Democratic National Convention this July. From the Boston Globe: “Convention bust may reach $50 million”

In the space of two months, the Democratic National Convention has gone from a $154 million boon to Boston to a potential $50 million hit to the local economy as businesses absorb the magnitude of the announced highway, street, and mass-transit closings.

Also in the Globe, “Kerry may delay official nomination”

Beyond the legalities, changing the purpose of the Democratic convention could pose risks: For decades, the acceptance speeches of newly nominated presidential nominees have been the dramatic high point of campaigns, and they usually trigger a bounce for them in the polls. A Democratic convention that neither produces an official nominee nor a speech by Kerry that includes the words, ''I accept your nomination," could leave some voters confused or deflated.

Not to mention that it would be a huge waste of taxpayer money:

Raising the stakes for the city and state, too, the Democratic Party has received about $15 million in taxpayer funds to hold its nominating convention. Trevor Potter, a former FEC chairman who is now president of the independent Campaign Legal Center, predicts that Democrats would probably have to return the money if the event did not produce a nominee. ''If this convention doesn't produce a nominee in Boston, what's the point?" Potter said.

Ha-ha! Good one! A Democrat returning money!

Even better, I can envision some brutal sarcasm at the Republicans’ convention a month later:

Speaker: "And so my fellow Republicans, we need to stand tall with our President in the race against….(feigns confusion)….the Democratic nominee, whomever that is. (Looks offstage) did he accept it?"

The new strategy of the Kerry campaign: “Bring it on...after a five week delay.”