A perpetual question is, Is it better to hold your convention first or second? And the answer is — you can get an advantage either way. The advantage of going first is that you can define things — set terms and so on. The advantage of going second is that you get to respond.

I think the Democrats took advantage of their position; and that the Republicans are taking advantage of theirs. A clear advantage, I think, is to select your veep second. (Their choice may affect yours.) But in the end, this matter of timing — like the locations of the conventions — is not really important.