Philadelphia, New York, and Columbus are Finalists for the DNC

The DNC made an announcement for the 2016 election:

Washington, DC – Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz today announced the finalist cities under consideration to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention: Columbus, New York, and Philadelphia. The announcement comes after a round of site visits by the DNC’s Technical Advisory Group to five cities.

“We’re thrilled to move to the next step of the selection process to determine where Democrats will come together to nominate the 45th President of the United States,” said Wasserman Schultz. “We are fortunate to have such a diverse and vibrant group of cities interested in hosting this special event and we thank Phoenix and Birmingham for showcasing their special communities. We look forward to working with Columbus, New York, and Philadelphia as we go forward.”

Good. I've always preferred Philadelphia, with Brooklyn being my second choice. I would have put Phoenix into this group, not Columbus, but that's fine.

You pick based on the logistical capabilities of the city, what it says about your coalition, and what broader themes your nominee will put forward from that choice. You don't pick a city based on it's "electoral value." Conventions just don't have electoral values.

Philadelphia is the right choice for it's strong union background, it's place as our original capitol, and it's diverse, working class citizenry. It's got great mass-transit, the site would be secure and easy to reach, and it's got great entertainment options for the delegates. Brooklyn would obviously be awesome too, but it isn't Philly.