Thursday, August 21, 2008

VP selection dates

WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Since 1980 (and probably long before that), only 1 VP has been announced more than a week before the convention: John Edwards in 2004. Every other VP has been announced the week before or the week of the convention, so this year will follow the pattern:

  • 1980 Bush (R) -- July 17, during the Convention (July 14-17)
  • 1984 Ferraro (D) -- July 12, the week before the Convention (July 16-19)
  • 1988 Quayle (R) -- Aug. 16, during the Convention (Aug. 15-18)
  • 1988 Bentsen (D) -- July 12, the week before the Convention (July 18-21)
  • 1992 Gore (D) -- July 9, the week before the Convention (July 13-16)
  • 1996 Kemp (R) -- Aug. 10, two days before the Convention (Aug. 12-15)
  • 2000 Lieberman (D) -- Aug. 7, the week before the Convention (Aug. 15-17)
  • 2000 Cheney (R) -- July 25, the week before the Convention (July 31-Aug. 3)
  • 2004 Edwards (D) -- July 6, three weeks before the Convention (July 26-29)
To my knowledge, Ferraro was actually the first in modern history to be named before convention week.