When does the election campaign proper start?

[Donald Ian Rankin]

An awful lot of discussion of the American presidential campaign appears to be being phrased in the future tense - the headline that prompted this post was from The Guardian, "Obama and Clinton in show of unity. Joint rally intended to regroup Democratic party for forthcoming general election fight", but I've seen lots of others too, and the general mood of all parties appears to be of the calm before the storm, and preliminary attacks before the main battle is joined.

So when is the general election fight going to stop becoming forthcoming? Are the party conventions the starting whistle?

[LiberalFighter]

1. Yes

[mtnsnake]

2. The conventions officially kick it off

That's when we'll find out whatever dirt the Right Wing fanatics have dug up on Obama.