Conventional wisdom pervades US presidential politics. Among "old politicians' tales" are that a political party's placement of a national convention in a state can affecting presidential voting there, swinging or flipping it to its presidential candidate. Second, that the selection of a vice-presidential candidate as a favorite son (or daughter) will deliver a state's electoral votes to a presidential ticket. This article examines the placement of national party conventions and selection of vice-presidential candidates for Democratic and Republican Parties since 1948. It finds that presidential candidates do not earn a state bump or advantage by either locating a national convention in a specific state or by selecting a vice-presidential candidate from it.