Begins August 27 (Republican); September 3 (Democratic)
It promises to be a suspenseful and dramatic presidential election this fall, which is not to say that the conventions will be; they often unfold less as history in the making than as tightly scripted theater. But there’s always the possibility for unexpected controversy and sparks as the Republicans take Tampa and the Democrats renominate Barack Obama in Charlotte, N.C. Or skip the main event and stay up late instead for The Daily Show, which will be reporting from both conventions. If the speeches aren’t newsworthy, there’s always fake news.