As we sketched out last month, the DNC has all kinds of reason to play Charlotte along for as long as possible on this 2012 deal. And dopey Charlotte has responded as expected.

Run to Boston to secure Deval Patrick’s blessing in exchange for God knows what — bank jobs? — Check.

Act like raising $50 to 60m. as a host committee is no problem in this environment — Check.

Breathlessly play being a “finalist” in a screaming headline — Check.

Recall that the last time we went down this path we spent $200m. on a billionaire, almost traded the Super Bowl of NASCAR away, and were left with an Uptown “attraction” running 30 percent below expectations. Better still, Mayor Anthony Foxx has already let slip that ancient Time Warner Arena will need millions in “upfits” to be able to play at this level. Yes, really.

Having said all that, Charlie Cook shows his ass by flatly ruling Charlotte out. Demo image makers love that Duke Energy is in the mix and we’ve already seen someone other than me note that Brian Moynihan is Team Obama’s personal banker boy. Obama created “green jobs” and saved the planet — here ask Jim Rogers. Obama saved the world’s financial sector — here ask Brian Moynihan. Vote Obama 2012.

And if you still want to go the tired electoral college route, the Carolinas haul of 23 is not insignificant. But the 21st century convention is all about image and meta-image. America’s first post-racial President holding a celebration of his first term in office in a city of the Old South — black mayor, female governor — is powerful stuff for the Obama meme. Besides, the other finalists are not exactly Paris or Rio.

Cleveland? Exactly wrong image. Dead city Obama couldn’t save and don’t forget that Ohio is down to 20 electoral votes. That is the one city you can exclude right off the bat.

Jason Lewis must be salivating at Minneapolis making the cut. But the Twin Cities hosting the RNC in 2008 has pluses and minuses. Experience — although some complain that the supposed economic boost of ’08 was very short-lived — is good, the notion that the Democrats are “following” Republicans by trekking North is not.

Also check this wacky spin from the Star-Tribune:

Minneapolis and two other contenders — Cleveland and St. Louis — are in likely battle-ground states. The fourth — Charlotte, N.C. — is in the Republican-friendly South.

Guess the reporter forgot that Obama carried North Carolina and all the Southern border states will be battlegrounds. It is precisely this sort of disconnect from political reality that foolishly dismisses Charlotte. Still, gotta love that “N.C.” poking Tim Newman and crew in the gut.

So color me doubtful on the DNC picking Minneapolis. So 2008.

The real competition then is St. Louis, as I have said all along. The sheer geography of St. Louis is its biggest asset. Time zone gets you closer to the West Coast prime time, a major consideration. Amazingly, St. Louis has not hosted a political convention since Woodrow Wilson in 1916.

St. Louis’ problem is money and a relative lack of corporate firepower. Or Obama-approved corporate firepower. Express Scripts, Monsanto, and Charter Communications anyone?

This will be a fascinating thing to watch unfold — watch the city’s airport capacity, use of Bank of America stadium et al — to pop up soon. Anyone ruling Charlotte out already is not paying attention. Wish it were not so, but there it is. Remember who told you that Obama had a good shot of carrying North Carolina.

Update: I may have to reassess. Reading far too much stuff putting Charlotte as the front-runner. That is equally wacky and suggests a whispering misdirection campaign is already afoot. As I said, Dems have a BIG interest in energizing their NC troops for 2010. 2012? Who knows?