Monday is the first day of the Democratic Convention in Denver. Among the opening speakers are Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama.

Monday NewsChannel 7 spoke to Professor Jim Lorence of the University of Wisconsin-Marathon County about the importance of picking the right running mate for a presidential campaign. He gave us some insight past vice presidential candidates have influenced elections. "The campaign in which the vice presidency did make a difference was in 1960 when Lyndon Johnson was on the Kennedy ticket, and Johnson brought Texas into the democratic column."

Presidential candidate Barack Obama has already chosen his running mate, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, who has six terms in the Senate and 35 years of political experience. "He [Biden] may make people feel more comfortable with Obama because he brings that foreign policy expertise to the ticket."

Presidential hopeful John McCain is expected to announce his running mate by the end of this week. Rumors are circulating that it will most likely be a McCain-Romney ticket. "I think that Romney's expertise in the area of foreign policy, or at least his background in the private sector and in business and on economic issues is going to be an important factor in the selection of a vice president," says Professor Lorence.

The Republican Convention is set for next week in St. Paul, Minnesota.