So this happened this morning: In an interview with Politico, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she is not encouraging congressional Democrats to attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

A reporter asked her about North Carolina Democratic congressmen who are boycotting the convention, namely, Larry Kissell and Mike McIntyre, because they are in a tight races in their districts.

Pelosi said it wasn't a boycott, but took it a step further.

“I’m not encouraging anyone to go to the convention, having nothing to do with anything except I think they should stay home, campaign in their districts, use their financial and political resources to help them win their election,” she said.

Pelosi went on to say that because President Barack Obama is the incumbent, there would be plenty of party activists in Charlotte to rally the troops.

We did talk with Scott Huffman, political science professor at Winthrop University. He said congressional leaders may be hedging their bets for the election in November.

"I don't recall hearing of this in the past. I think it is a sign that Democratic congressional leaders think that, even if Obama wins, his coattails may not be that long," he said.

UPDATE (5:05 p.m.): We received this statement from the Democratic National Convention Committee spokeswoman Joanne Peters.

"We’re thrilled at the overwhelming enthusiasm for the convention from Democrats in North Carolina and across the country. Tens of thousands of everyday Americans will join President Obama in Charlotte as he accepts the Democratic Party’s nomination, and many more will participate virtually. Our focus every day is on planning the most open and accessible convention in history that will engage more Americans than ever before."