Joe Biden to accept nomination at mostly virtual Milwaukee convention

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials said Wednesday.

Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person during the 17-20 August convention, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it.

The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business, including the votes to nominate Biden and his yet-to-be-named running mate, will take place virtually, with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee.

It’s the latest sign of how much the Covid-19 pandemic has upended American life and the 2020 presidential election, leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign.

Not even during the civil war or second world war did the two major parties abandon in-person conventions with crowded arenas.

Read more via The Guardian