Democrats could have attracted more attention this year if they had encouraged ideological diversity. Even though 20 Democratic senators and representatives had at least a 90 percent pro-life rating from the National Right to Life Committee, convention planners allowed no pro-life voices. A strongly pro-life speech, and the boos it would have received, would have made for great theater. Dems who lacked courage should not be complaining about the small attention their convention is receiving. 

 Maybe this will all change. Party positions are not fixed in stone. Over time in American history, they have always changed: Keeping either Democrats or Republicans moving in lockstep for very long is like stuffing a live octopus into a string bag and expecting that none of the arms will hang out. But parties tend to go through major changes only after they have suffered big defeats, as the GOP did in 1964 and the Dems did in 1972.

 If we have another cliffhanger this year, hope will string eternal. The pros in the losing party will comfort themselves by saying that if only one little thing had broken in their favor, victory would have been at hand. And they will probably be right. Fasten your seatbelts.