The Parties May Miss Conventions

Covid-19 forced Democrats and Republicans to rethink how they will hold their political conventions this summer. Both will be mostly virtual affairs, eliminating the handshakes and personal interactions that have shaped the parties for nearly 200 years. In this way, the pandemic is accelerating an evolution that has been in motion for decades. Events that once featured smoke-filled rooms, high drama and unpredictable outcomes are now carefully produced spectacles designed for sending prepackaged messages to voters.

The political…