How has the purpose of the national party convention changed?
With communication not being what it is today the national party conventions were used to vote for the party’s nomination for President and to gather information. One state had no idea what the other state was doing so this was used as a information outlet to share ideas and suggestions for party leaders. Back in the day every state voted for a party nomination and no one knew who it would be until the convention, now with the media coverage people know who it is going to be before the convention, which has changed how people perceive the progress of choosing a candidate.
