Aug. 25: Who Made These Schedules?

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Catch up on that lost sleep from two weeks of late-night Olympic coverage? One can only hope, because it's time for the political conventions.

The Chinese may think 08/08/08 was a lucky day for them to schedule the opening ceremony, but the luck had a push: NBC's football schedule, and other things NBC:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/25/sports/olympics/25nbc.html?em

With more than 200 nations competing this time, why is it one last-place-in-prime-time American network that gets accomodated over the rest of the world? (No wonder the Russians are so ticked off.)

Avery Brundage, the one-time head of the International Olympic Committee, has been dead for more than three decades, but his legacy evidently continues; the United States is still Big Mama that needs to be coddled. (It's even worse when one recalls the NBC promos that aired during these Olympics; they've gone from the likes of "The Cosby Show," "Mad About You," "Frasier" and "Friends" to the inane-looking "Kath and Kim."

The August Olympic invasion was one of the things that prompted changes in the schedules of the political conventions. Once upon a time, one party would have its convention in July, the other one in August - enough space for everyone to get the message across, enough space for a convention "bounce" that the candidates would or would not waste.

Not this time. The Democratic convention starts tonight, the Republican convention on Labor Day - yes, Labor Day. A federal holiday.

Lisa Ryan's article has a very good explanation for why this is:

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B3/20080824/NEWS0301/808240329/1123/NEWS02

The Democrats may be playing Charlie Brown to the Republicans' Lucy, because Sen. Barack Obama may get no more than a 12-hour bounce before Sen. John McCain names his running mate. Viewers may ignore who speaks on Labor Day, but they'll likely be watching Sept. 4, when McCain speaks.

How about this suggestion: Cancel the conventions, just let the presidential and vice presidential nominees tape speeches to the American people to be shown in September, and be done with it. It would be easier for everyone - especially voters.