Shutterstock
According to Democratic officials, former vice president Joe Biden won’t be traveling to Milwaukee to accept the Democratic nomination for President. This is the latest development in the ongoing saga of the Democratic Convention.
The convention has been rescheduled, moved online, and now will occur entirely virtually. This move to all-digital isn’t surprising given the pandemic raging in the US.
2020 has been a year full of digital-only events. Due to the novel coronavirus, it’s entirely inadvisable for people to gather in large groups. In fact, in late June, President Donald Trump had a physical campaign rally that saw few wearing masks and fewer still socially distancing. Herman Cain, who attended that rally and wore no mask, passed away last week after a battle with COVID-19.
At this point, the Democratic Convention is a formality. Joe Biden won the majority of the delegates needed to secure the nomination during the primary, and the other Democratic candidates have suspended their campaigns.
The last candidate to do so was Bernie Sanders, the popular socialist senator from Vermont. While Sanders’ supporters were sad to see him leave the race, many have since put their support behind Biden.
Biden, the former vice president, has been surging in the polls throughout the summer. Many Americans feel frustration with Trump’s handling of both the pandemic and the protests against widespread racial inequality. For the first time, protests against racial inequality are supported by a majority of Americans. Meanwhile, President Trump continues taking an aggressive stance against protesters.
The Democratic Convention is far from the first event to switch over to all-digital. While the coronavirus might cause symptoms similar to Enbrel side effects, it can be life threatening in some people. This has made many events move their activities from real-world events to digital showcases.
Given the advanced age of Joe Biden and many others in the Democratic Party, it makes sense to avoid even a socially-distanced photo op with a large number of people.
Going into November, Joe Biden has been campaigning on promises of “building back better” from the pandemic. Polls suggest his rhetoric is effective, with people reporting that they find Biden’s tone comforting and would welcome his leadership.
Moreover, he represents a familiar face: he spent eight years in the White House with Barack Obama. Voters tired of the last four years of whirlwind politics might welcome some stability from a known politician.
