Democrats Considering a 3-Day Riot Instead of a 4-Day Riot

The Democrats may cut their convention short:

Barack Obama's campaign and the Democratic National Committee are toying with a convention scheduling change that has been broached before in theory but never seriously considered: cutting the party's conclave in Denver short by one day to give Obama an extra day of post-nomination bounce in the crowded August calendar.

For the last several decades -- when conventions became forums that merely rubber-stamp a presumptive nominee -- they have traditionally run from Monday through Thursday. Increasingly, both parties have struggled to offer something of interest during the first couple of convention nights, and the television networks have responded by dramatically reducing live coverage. The only truly significant event has been the nominee's acceptance speech, delivered during prime time on Thursday evening.

But Obama aides have floated the idea of ending the Denver convention on Wednesday, Aug. 27, instead of Thursday, Aug. 28.

The reason is the calendar. This year -- unlike in the past, when there was some separation between the two gatherings -- the Republican convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul is scheduled to begin four days later, on Monday, Sept. 1. The result, many Democrats believe, could be that Obama would not get the poll number bounce that nominees usually get immediately after being officially anointed.

Ending early, some Democrats argue, would give Obama an extra day to capitalize on the convention.

I think they're afraid of having four days of riots and demonstrations rather than just three that they'd have with the shorter meeting. That extra day isn't going to help Obama that much, especially if the fires in Denver haven't been put out yet.