• Trump’s pick of J.D. Vance today marks the first time since 1988 that a VP pick was announced after the convention started. This used to be the norm – even with a presidential nominee that was not in doubt, like Jimmy Carter in 1976, Carter did not announce Mondale as his VP until Thursday morning of convention week.
• Security plans were under review after the Trump attempted assassination
• Here’s the bottom line on attempts to replace Biden at the convention. It’s not happening.  The delegates are core Biden supporters. Unless Biden decides himself to withdraw his name from nomination, he will be the nominee.

First, a shoutout to a new Substack we just discovered. Yello, “a newsletter about politics, art, branding, and design”.  Please subscribe and show them some love!

Yello did a deep design dive into the 2024 DNC and RNC logos. Here are some highlights:

• The DNC 2024 logo uses the three red, waving stripes element used to make the E in “Biden” in the 2024 Biden-Harris logo:

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• Security planning is ongoing for the GOP Convention in Milwaukee
• Click here to sign up to volunteer for the Democratic Convention in Chicago
• GOP delegates may have to take an 80 minute bus ride from (blue) Madison to Milwaukee, in order to avoid a shorter trip from (blue) Illinois.  Got it?

• Chicago has become a target city for GOP busing of migrants from red states
• The Israel-Gaza war is causing concerns about protests in Chicago in 2024, in a city that has not forgotten the 1968 convention.
• 500 media reps will be coming to Chicago in mid-January to check out logistics in the United Center
• Milwaukee is concerned about nuclear weapons (not really)
• And the RNC Convention CEO took a shot at the Dem’s choice of Chicago:

“Unlike the DNC, [the GOP] didn’t choose a city that’s reliably in their corner.”

As we start 2023, here’s the latest on the 2024 Republican and Democratic National Conventions:

• The GOP has announced their 2024 dates for their Milwaukee convention: July 15-18.  Two thoughts:  First, the Democrats get to go second (as the party in the White House), and will likely schedule to start on Monday Aug 19 or Aug 26. (The 2024 Summer Olympics end on Sun 8/11).  Second, any thoughts of moving to 3-day conventions have clearly been put aside.
• Atlanta continues its effort to secure the 2024 Democratic Convention, which would be its first since 1988.
• Former Alabama Sen. Doug Jones is supporting Atlanta’s bid.
• Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens makes the case:

• Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot makes the case for her city:

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