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Opinion: A convention history as the GOP picks John McCain and Sarah Palin

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Now, it’s the Republican Party’s turn for hoopla, this week in St. Paul. Allright, subdued hoopla. First, a little history for Ticket readers who think they know what GOP stands for.

Hint: It’s not Grand Old Party.

It’s Gallant Old Party, according to contemporary publications referring to the party that was launched in 1854 and only six years later captured the White House. Its candidate: a little-known fellow named Abraham Lincoln and an even lesser-known vice presidential partner named Hannibal Hamlin, who happened also to be a former Democrat who fled his old party because of its stubborn support of slavery.

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Our blogging brethren over at CQ.com have generously posted a fascinating brief history of political party conventions, which we share below here on the day the Republican National Convention officially opens, sort of.

The proceedings will be perfunctory because of the approaching hurricane down south.

For a long time in our nation’s history, these quadrennial conventions actually made decisions instead of making merry. Guess why they changed. (See answer below.)

It looks like a lock on the nomination for Arizona Sen. John McCain. Thank goodness we won’t all go through what the Denver Democratic get-together did in 1924 in New York. That one lasted 16 days and 103 ballots to pick someone we’ve all come to know and love through the years, John W. Davis.

-- Andrew Malcolm

(The answer: TV.)

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