Memories are so short in Washington that I believe many of us are overlooking one striking feature of the two conventions: the extent to which the “who’s on whose side” question has become clarified.

It seems an ideal time, between the two parties’ national conventions, to reflect on conventions I have attended over the years. Most of my experiences were as an assistant on the Republican platform ...

CHICAGO — As I was preparing to cover the Democratic National Convention here this week, I pondered a nagging question: What makes a good convention — at least from a journalist’s perspective? In ...