Biden Floats Possibility Of ‘Virtual’ Democratic National Convention

Democratic presidential hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 10, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
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Former Vice President Joe Biden is still firm in his position that the Democratic National Committee’s convention needs to happen, but said the event may need to be held virtually, during an interview on ABC News Sunday morning.

On Thursday, the DNC announced that it’s postponing its national convention to August in light of the coronavirus crisis. The convention is now scheduled for August 17 — a month after its originally scheduled date of July 13.

“Well, we’re going to have to do a convention,” Biden said. “We may have to do a virtual convention. I think we should be thinking about that right now.”

Biden then reiterated that holding the convention is “necessary” before stressing that the importance of listening to medical experts.

“We may not be able to put 10, 20, 30,000 people in one place and that’s very possible,” Biden said. “Again, let’s see where it is — and what we do between now and then is going to dictate a lot of that as well. But my point is that I think you just got to follow the science, listen to the experts.”

Watch Biden’s remarks below:

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Notable Replies

  1. I agree with him a virtual convention is the way to go

  2. “Follow the science?”
    “Listen to the experts?”
    Pffffffft. Just pour a combination of Coca-Cola and household ammonia in a glass and toss it over your left shoulder, Joe. That’s what a candidate who wants to appeal to the much-feared Republican base would be suggesting. Get with the program, fella…

  3. With Trump warning “There will be lots of death”, I’d really like to know if Biden has given a hard look at a universal healthcare single payer or M4A. It is high time for him to go beyond ACA expansion with what Covid is exposing as a huge problem with the US healthcare system…it really needs big, bold and sound structural change. Otherwise, if we don’t do it soon, then it will be rinse and repeat on a daily basis for millions of uninsured Americans and another disaster in-waiting for another pandemic or heaven forbid, a bioweapon attack!

    Addendum:

    I agree with woland66

    (And yes, regardless of the healthcare system we would have done better if we had qualified administration.)

    If this was prior to more than 8500 Americans’ Covid death toll (way more than 9/11) I would agree with triletter

    To campaign on it now seems to be political suicide.

    But what if (I’m not a MAGA) the Trump campaign will promise a similar healthcare option to M4A or a semblance of universal healthcare system (hold your horses) - just promise for the sake of winning the election then reneg later as their SOP - then that robs Biden with his ACA expansion edge. Just saying…

    Covid Pandemic is just one aspect that US healthcare system is NOT prepared to handle regardless of the Trump Maladministration response. High premiums, high non-generic drug costs, mountainous red tape, insurers waiting out for cancer patients to die before treatment approval, in-network vs out of network nightmare, surprise crippling medical bills…on and on - so while we should NOT tie our healthcare reform solely to a Covid Pandemic, it should be a consideration because of the scale it can kill uninsured and insured Americans in addition to alleviating daily healthcare system problems for the millions of uninsured.

  4. Avatar for tao tao says:

    They don’t need a convention this year. Delegates can have their say-so’s by mail. Or set up a big virtual convention and let the Russians give it a hack. Their candidate is already selected. Platform issues need to be set early to see how voters react.

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