ACC was well represented at the DNC in Denver; and now we will move to Minneapolis and the RNC. Ugh — that’s a lot of excessive eating and drinking at these venues, but somebody has to do it. But we’re not just partying — we will have had dozens of key meetings at both conventions with members of Congress and other powerful constituencies. We need to do this to keep our ideas (Quality First; the NCDR; the need for new payment strategies; the need for a pluralistic public-private approach to health care to preserve competition, choice, efficiency, and to promote science and research) in the forefront. When asked if what candidates and platform leaders say at these conventions is what they will actually implement later, I like to answer with a riddle: “Do chickens have lips?” But, a lot of what is likely to happen is starting to gel at these gatherings. I firmly believe that if reforms ultimately put patients first, we’ll do well, too. Mull that over. William Mayo got that right a long time ago.