# Biden bails on the convention in Milwaukee due to COVID **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 5, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369 "2020-08-05T21:42:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/1 "2020-08-05T21:42:59Z")
Biden bails on the convention in Milwaukee due to COVID. The optics of this decision might not hold up well, he needs to get out front with whomever his VP is going to be and garner some of the undecided. Even a limited safe on scene appearance 20-30 minute speech would do wonders, this election isn’t a done deal. Wisconsin is 34th in cases per million population, (7796) its less than 1 percent chance. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/2 "2020-08-05T21:50:26Z")
I think Biden showing up to the convention would be an act of extreme hypocrisy. He’d look not much better than Trump, who does whatever he wants, COVID-19 be damned. Biden’s made a point of saying that he takes the virus seriously, and that he believes the science, etc… so staying away seems like the right thing to do if he’s concerned. And the other speakers aren’t going to be there either for the same reason as Biden, so the DNC ought to just go completely virtual anyway. That’s the right thing to do right now. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/3 "2020-08-05T22:08:10Z")
Good for him. The big show aspect of the convention is completely unnecessary, especially this year. Some leading national politician needs to demonstrate to the country that this virus is no bullshit. The guy on the Republican side, you know, he ain’t gonna do it. He’s going to, as usual, encourage the belief in bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/4 "2020-08-05T22:09:50Z")
Trump is also looking at giving his acceptance speech away from the convention site. Today he [floated](https://time.com/5876302/trump-rnc-convention-speech-white-house/) the idea of doing it at the White House. Given that the venue is still in question the Secret Service probably prefer a virtual speech since their prep time for such a large event is likely going to be limited. Biden doing an in person acceptance speech while Trump goes virtual is a worse look IMO. It would be childishly easy to spin that as hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/5 "2020-08-05T22:38:57Z")
It’s not about Biden. Any onsite convention speech with a VP nominee would involve thousands of staff, reporters, police, demonstrators, support workers, hotel staff, etc. Don’t sink to Trump’s level of utter ignorance about logistics. Gatherings are always mass gatherings, and that has grave implications this year. ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/6 "2020-08-05T23:06:39Z")
Just a safe in a bubble appearance LOL. He hasn’t got this thing locked down yet plenty of people still undecided. As far as the science Rt is science and has been science since the '50s with malaria. Right now Wisconsin at .92 is the fifth-lowest contagious rate in the nation. COVID was expected to have an Rt of 5.7 a number that thankfully never materialized here in the US for perspective [https://www.healthline.com/health/r-nought-reproduction-number](https://www.healthline.com/health/r-nought-reproduction-number) Hepatitis 2.0 Ebola 2.0 HIV 4.0 SARS 4.0 Mumps 10.0 Measles 18.0 [https://rt.live/](https://rt.live/) Rt, a key measure of how fast the virus is growing. It’s the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person. If Rt is above 1.0, the virus will spread quickly. When Rt is below 1.0, the virus will stop spreading. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/7 "2020-08-05T23:27:47Z")
Of course he needs to “get out there” at the convention and make a speech and introduce his VP candidate and so on. But is there any reason he can’t do all that virtually? Even the people in the hall are going to be looking more at the Jumbotron than at the tiny podium, anyway. And anyone who he needs to impress is going to be watching on TV or YouTube (anyone physically at the convention, I think it’s safe to say, is definitely going to vote, and is definitely going to vote for Biden). ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/8 "2020-08-05T23:39:18Z")
> [@putnam6](#): > > …plenty of people still undecided. If this is true, it’s utterly baffling. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/9 "2020-08-06T00:38:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Of course he needs to “get out there” at the convention and make a speech and introduce his VP candidate and so on. But is there any reason he can’t do all that virtually? Even the people in the hall are going to be looking more at the Jumbotron than at the tiny podium, anyway. And anyone who he needs to impress is going to be watching on TV or YouTube (anyone physically at the convention, I think it’s safe to say, is definitely going to vote, and is definitely going to vote for Biden). Hopefully the DNC will arrange HD broadcast-quality, bulletproof (i.e., redundant) feeds for the major speakers. Needs to be glitch-free, so no Zoom acceptance speech… ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/10 "2020-08-06T00:59:25Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Don’t sink to Trump’s level of utter ignorance about logistics. Gatherings are always mass gatherings, and that has grave implications this year. Biden has to be the grown-up in the room. If that means a virtual room, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/11 "2020-08-06T01:47:19Z")
LOL, I hear you but I’d imagine Trump’s base is a solid 35% that will actually vote Biden has a likely 40% no matter what. Problem is will Biden get enough people to mail in or go vote? Hillary and Obama for that matter had historic turnouts and for HRC it still wasn’t enough. Biden just can’t sit in the basement expecting another historic turnout, especially with this COVID mess. Got to get his message out there campaign till it’s November 3rd, 7 pm Pacific time can’t leave anything to chance. He has the advantage and he needs to build off of it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/12 "2020-08-06T01:50:21Z")
So far Biden is polling quite well, and he may as well be on vacation. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but to suggest that it’s Biden who needs to step up his game is questionable. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/13 "2020-08-06T02:01:50Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > So far Biden is polling quite well, and he may as well be on vacation. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but to suggest that it’s Biden who needs to step up his game is questionable. Biden is following Woodrow Wilson’s maxim: “Never attempt to murder a man who is committing suicide.” Sure, Biden will have to make some appearances during the campaign. But right now, Trump is handing him the victory and there’s no reason Biden should change things. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/14 "2020-08-06T03:35:53Z")
The truly good news is that Biden is not reading the internet looking for suggestions on how to run his campaign. 😏 ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/15 "2020-08-06T05:03:05Z")
You are likely correct LOL, just make sure he doesn’t mention all the deplorables. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@chappachula1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula1)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/16 "2020-08-06T05:25:14Z")
> [@](#): > > thousands of … demonstrators This is a huge issue, I think. But not for the reasons that Exapno Mapcase suggests (i.e. logistics). The convention will attract a lot of demonstrators. And it could be the reason Biden loses the election. > **[Protesters plan to make presence felt during DNC despite scaled back...](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/27/dnc-protesters-plan-make-presence-felt-scaled-down-convention/5487129002/)** > > “Whether it’s the DNC or anything else going on, every day we are going to be out there," Democratic state Rep. David Bowen of Milwaukee said. People from BLM, Portland, Seattle’s chaz zone, Defund the police, etc will make a lot of noise. There will be some violence. And that will give Trump a LOT of ammunition to boost his law-and-order campaign. If Fox news can film 6 minutes of smoke-filled streets, broken windows and a burning building, they will play the film nonstop for 3 months. Republican ads will show it and scream “This is what Biden will do to all of America!!!” It will be graphic, and impossible to ignore And the undecideds who don’t pay much attention to politics will see enough scary stuff to be convinced that Trump will save them. If Biden travels to Milwaukee he would have no choice but to step out into the public square and meet with the demonstrators. But he needs to distance himself from the far left. .Staying away from Milwaukee may help. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/17 "2020-08-06T05:37:06Z")
I see where you’re coming from on this. The 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago certainly did not help Humphrey. Are the protestors not going to make their presence known at the RNC? (Serious question.) ---
**Author:** ![putnam6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/putnam6/32/4082_2.png) [@putnam6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/putnam6)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/18 "2020-08-06T05:46:20Z")
I have serious hopes it will be peaceful but have serious doubts too. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/19 "2020-08-06T06:16:40Z")
No the problem is- will the GOPs voter suppression work well enuf to give trump a win? Will Jim Crow win it for trump? That is his only chance. Or out & out cheating. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369/20 "2020-08-06T13:17:05Z")
The single most popular vote-getter in 2016 was “I’m not gonna bother. I’m too lazy / disinterested / unimpressed with traditional politicians / etc.” That ginormous cohort is Biden’s enemy; not the Trumpists; they’re a given. That ginormous cohort is also Biden’s greatest ally. _If and only if_ he can rouse them out of their sloth. If Biden mobilizes a decent fraction of that cohort _in the states that matter_, he winds handily. If not, it’ll be another nail-biter decided by a few thousand votes in each of a handful of states. The ~~Trump haters~~ True Patriots such as myself will come out to vote. It’s the people so disgusted / depressed that they affirmatively tune out all of politics whom Biden MUST recruit. Which is a tough sell because to get them to even listen, you can’t sound like attack ads and anger. You need to sound like a soothing uncle. And it’s hard for those ads to break through people’s mental firewalls. COVID of course makes all this harder. Whatever list of excuses the non-voters had in 2016 for depression / disengagement / discouragement / disinterest, they’ve got a another huge set of new & scary reasons to want to pull the covers over their head until this all blows over. Funny enough, this could be one of the _lowest_ turnout elections in recent history despite one of the clearest and most urgent choices on offer since forever. All the hard-core partisans will show up. But the 65% of America suffering from situational depression may simply hide at home and don’t vote at all. Getting mass mail-in voting right is a major way to improve turnout by lowering the barriers to entry for the depressed disgusted vast majority. > [@putnam6](#): > > I have serious hopes it will be peaceful but have serious doubts too. It can’t possibly be peaceful. The RW provocateurs will ensure it won’t be. As well as certain anarchists and general opportunists. As noted above, even if 99% of protests are totally peaceful and law-abiding, the other 1% is what’ll get filmed & replayed _ad nauseaum_ on both mainstream media and the RW propaganda outlets. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-bails-on-the-convention-in-milwaukee-due-to-covid/917369.md?page=2)