国际英语新闻:Republicans Ready for Tuesday's Convention Open

In the past, political conventions of both major parties - the Democrats and the Republicans - typically chose their presidential candidates.  But in recent decades, the conventions have become more scripted, designed to build support for their respective presidential nominees.

Candidates hope to benefit from what is called a post-convention "bounce" in public opinion surveys that could help them in the final weeks of the campaign leading up to Election Day in November.
 
“Romney wants an enthusiastic convention," said Norman Ornstein, a political analyst with the Washington D.C.-based American Enterprise Institute.  "He wants to have a sense that people are excited about him, which has been a real problem for him up to now.”
 
A convention boost for Romney could be important this year because public opinion polls show the race is very close.  The Democrats will meet next week in Charlotte, North Carolina to hold their convention and nominate President Obama for a second four-year term.