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Of all the aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that have changed life in new and interesting ways, the effect of the virus on political conventions in the U.S. could be the most startling. There will be a huge gulf between the way the Democratic Convention and that of the Republicans take place in 2020 with Presidential nominations at stake. While President Trump is looking to return to a traditional convention, Democratic nominee, Joe Biden will receive the nomination from his party from his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
The current political climate is a difficult one for many with the Postal Service facing a fight over the future of the Presidential election. As the Democrats and Republicans come together to nominate former Vice-President Biden and incumbent President Trump, there will be battles over the future of the U.S. Postal Service and mail-in voting. The future of the mail-in vote remains in doubt as President Trump moves forward with his plan to threaten the future of the service in the coming years. As the Democrats look to come together under a message of unity there is the risk House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will recall Congress to fight on behalf of the USPS.
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The major changes that will be seen in the convention season will be at the Democrat version that will take place across the nation tonight. Vice President Biden will be located at his home along with his recent choice for Vice President, Kamala Harris. Both nominees will be located at the Biden home, which will also act as the control center for the convention with a broadcast truck monitoring feeds from across the nation. The main change to the planned convention in Milwaukee is the decision to enforce social distancing and set up live streams from keynote speakers.
There is much excitement for the speech of former First Lady Michelle Obama who has had some of the most iconic moments of 21st-Century conventions. The former First Lady is the main speaker of the first night of the four-night event that will take place for two hours each night in a much-shortened form. This differs from the historic conventions that have preceded the Presidential election every four years and provides the chance for local delegates to have their say in national politics. Michelle Obama’s speech is expected to be a highlight given the continuing issues of Black Lives Matter protests around the nation and the different problems caused by the pandemic.
The convention season has come at a pivotal time for both campaigns because both President Trump and nominee Biden are seeing problems with their campaigns. The latest CNN poll before the convention begins shows the lead of Biden has narrowed over the last few weeks to just four points over President Trump. One of the reasons why the chance to make an appearance before the wider American public is important for Vice President Biden is the virtual nature of his campaign. President Trump has returned to the campaign trail with large in-person appearances while Biden has limited himself to appearances from the basement of his home.
Vice President Biden will have his nomination announced completely virtually with musical performances designed to attract a range of viewers in different age ranges. The musical appearances for the Democrat Convention include Billie Eilish and John Legend with speeches given from historic monuments around the U.S. starting with Senator Bernie Sanders on the first night of the event.
The GOP has been trying to maintain a link to its traditional convention with various locations being floated as possible locations. The initial choice of Charlotte, North Carolina was ruled out because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects in the state. The second choice of Jacksonville, Florida was also ruled out because of the rising numbers effected by the pandemic in the state. President Trump’s event will be a mix of the traditional and the virtual with delegates meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, and major speeches being given from across the nation.
No matter how the nominations for the Presidential election are handed out to the nominees, the election campaigns for both parties are expected to begin in earnest. The issue facing both nominees is how they will grab the attention of the public at a time when public appearances will be largely limited to an online presence. Voting issues are sure to dominate the proceedings for the Republicans with Democratic speakers expected to show their support for the Postal Service at a time when it is under threat. The virtual nature of both events could be a testing ground for the way the Presidential election campaign will be fought over the Fall of 2020.
