Un-Conventional Choice?

    The National Journal reports that some in the Democratic party are voicing doubts about holding their national presidential nominating convention this year in Charlotte, North Carolina for a growing variety of reasons.

• Democrats who already were queasy about the site of their national convention could be excused after Tuesday's election in North Carolina if they asked, "Tell me again just why we're going to Charlotte this year?" In fact, many Democrats privately are asking exactly that after the state's voters overwhelmingly approved a measure outlawing not just same-sex marriage -- which already was illegal in North Carolina -- but also any form of civil unions.
• [L]abor unions... are still miffed that the party decided to go to a "right to work" state and a city with few unionized hotels.
• [A]n unpopular Democratic governor who has decided not to run for another term, likely handing the statehouse to the Republicans. And don't forget a messy sexual harassment scandal that has forced the state Democratic Party's executive director to resign...
• And, oh yes, there is the fact that President Obama will be accepting his nomination with a speech at the unfortunately named Bank of America Stadium, an occasion that will lead to a run of stories about the $45 billion that the banking powerhouse received in the unpopular TARP bailout.

   Well, it seems that West Virginia is out of the running for a relocation of the convention after an embarrassing performance for President Obama in the Democratic Primary there on Tuesday.  A relatively unknown challenger and federal inmate, Keith Judd (pictured right), garnered 41% of the vote against the incumbent.  (The use of "relatively" in that previous sentence is even somewhat charitable, but regardless, one gets the impression that Judd was a stand-in for "none of the above" on the ballot in a state that is feeling less than charitable towards a president who seems to have targeted one of the state's largest industries, coal production, for extinction.)  But speaking of Judd, perhaps the Lone Star State would be a good choice for the Democratic convention since the party's newest rising star currently resides deep in the heart of Texas.  Runner-up primary candidates are often given prime time speaking roles at conventions and since Judd's ability to travel is currently, um, limited, maybe Texas is just the ticket.  Who knows? Now that his recognizance has been elevated, maybe he could get a weekend furlough.  On second thought...