It's Not Your Grandparents' Political Conventions Anymore

Gone are the days of your grandparents' political conventions. Now, these events are carefully designed to dazzle the audience, especially the television audience. And with a reality TV star at the top of the Republican ticket, Donald Trump is sure to produce a spectacle. Trump called his predecessor's convention four year ago, "the single most boring convention I've ever seen." He knows the giant screens and the flashy entrances will both send a message and entertain. The City of Cleveland has also been working to create a new public space for those not attending to express their own political views.

Photo: House Speaker Paul Ryan on the RNC stage (Jenny Hamel)