While everyone else was playing solitaire on their laptops or mindlessly listening to Wolf Blitzer on CNN about Barack Obama's running mate, I started working the phones to see who else might be coming to the Democratic and Republican conventions.

My interest was piqued by a press release that popped onto the ole Blackberry announcing a news conference with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and Democrats running for Senate.

It got me thinking about how many candidates for the House and Senate - as in non-incumbents - would be making the trek to Denver and St. Paul.

"We thought about it long and hard," said Democrat Bobby Saxon, who is challenging Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia for a U.S. House seat.

Saxon said he ultimately decided spending five days out of town - even among fellow Democrats - just wasn't worth it.

"I can't be out of the district for that long," Saxon told me by phone, as I waited for my Denver connection.

It was the luck of the draw to get the actual candidate on the horn when I called his office around 5pm EDT on Friday. When I asked for his press aide, they instead offered the boss.

"Wanna talk to Bobby?"

I certainly couldn't say no to that, especially since I hope to chase his target, Rep. Broun, if he's in Minnesota for the GOP gathering.

"Let me get your email address," Saxon said to me, acting more like his own press aide, as he promised a press release dealing with debates in the fall campaign on Monday.

Saxon's decision to stay home was pretty typical of my quick and completely unscientific survey conducted from Gate G51 at MSP.

"She's not a delegate," said an aide to Democrat Jane Mitakides, who is trying to unseat Rep. Mike Turner of Dayton, Ohio, making it clear she won't be in Denver in any capacity.

I got the same quick answer in a phone call to the headquarters of Georgianna Oliver, who is running against Rep. John Sullivan of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"I plan to stay in Georgia and work," said Republican John Stone, who is running against Rep. John Barrow.

One challenger deciding to make a short convention trip is Jim Martin, who is running for U.S. Senate in Georgia against GOP incumbent Saxby Chambliss.

Martin's schedule was still up in the air when I spoke to his press aide Kate Hansen on Friday, but she promised he would show up.

In the past, these conventions have often become a platform for some of the higher profile Congressional challengers, as party leaders dole out a few precious minutes of time on the rostrum to let them make their case for change.

Does it really help? Well, I always figure that it can't hurt in terms of getting a little publicity back home, or if the candidate happens to meet someone who might make a campaign contribution. .

Unless you've been to a political convention, it is difficult to accurately convey just how much is going on each day, apart from the convention speeches that you will see on television.

Protests, fundraisers, issue meetings, news conferences and more are on the schedule, along with a bevy of meetings for delegates from every state and territory. You could probably spend the whole week as a reporter covering events and never actually set foot on the convention floor.

And don't forget all the interest groups, lobbyists, party officials and more who are doing their best to get noticed amongst all the convention hubbub.

In other words, if I could only master the art of being in two places at once.

I'm sure that's what some of these same Congressional challengers wish they could do as well.