Democrats outline modified convention amid coronavirus fears

The in-person Democratic National Convention will be scaled down significantly as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the Milwaukee event now relying heavily on “live broadcasts and curated content,” organizers have announced.

“Convention planners said that host city Milwaukee would anchor the events for the week,” organizers said in a press release Wednesday, “and that programming would include both live broadcasts and curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities, locations and landmarks across the country.”

The presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, will still formally accept the party’s nomination in person during the Aug. 17-20 convention, but the convention committee said state delegations should not plan to travel to Milwaukee and should instead plan to conduct convention business remotely.

Additionally, the main venue is changing. “With fewer people gathering in person at this year’s event, convention planners are modifying the convention campus. All convention proceedings will move from Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center, the convention center located in downtown Milwaukee,” the release said.

“Leadership means being able to adapt to any situation,” Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said in a statement. “That’s exactly what we’ve done with our convention. Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people.”

The party’s decision comes as its counterpart, the Republican National Committee, has faced resistance in its quest to hold a mostly normal, in-person convention.

Following a squabble between President Trump and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the party made the decision to move Trump’s acceptance speech to Jacksonville, Fla., though some of the convention’s smaller events will remain in Charlotte.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.