While the very real threat of COVID-19 continues to run rampant throughout the US, are the planned 2020 political conventions alive or dead? Surprisingly (or not), Democrats and Republicans have very different opinions.
Politics
The 2020 Democratic convention to nominate Joe Biden for president is currently scheduled for August 17-20 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI, while the Republican convention to coronate Donald Trump for another 4 years is set for August 24-27 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. Will these conventions actually take place as planned? Let’s consider the players and the facts.
The Republican National Committee has been closely following the desires of its dear leader, Donald Trump, who spent months downplaying the threat of the coronavirus before and even after it hit the US the hardest. Not only has Trump been pressing for the country to reopen and return to normal ASAP (even if it costs lives), but he’s also made it crystal clear that he wants his convention with its expected 50,000 visitors to proceed “full steam ahead.” After all, would the attention-starved Trump really turn down an opportunity to appear in front of tens of thousands of loyal GOP fans chanting his name throughout the convention hall — particularly after he’s been forced to spend months locked inside The White House without a single ego-boosting Trump rally?
Although Republicans are proceeding cautiously in order to not set ‘The Donald’ off on one of his wild temper tantrums for not getting his way, not every member of the GOP is convinced that a traditional, in-person convention should or even can take place.
“I think it’s very clear it may not be possible to host a convention as planned,” said Edmund H. Driggs, a Republican member of the Charlotte City Council.
“Clearly if we’re a couple months away from opening businesses in Mecklenburg County (home to Charlotte and the hardest-hit county in the state with more than 1,900 cases and 58 deaths), then that would be very difficult to host the convention,” Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said last week.
However, the Democrats already have other ideas in the works.
As of this week, officials within the Democratic National Committee outlined 3 contingencies for their celebration to nominate Joe Biden: a full convention (only if health conditions permit by August), a mostly virtual convention that would feature a limited in-person presence in Milwaukee, or an entirely remote convention.
In a report from The New York Times, Democrats said they are strongly considering moving their convention from the 17,000+ capacity Fiserv Forum to a smaller Milwaukee venue, such as a theater. From there, they’d be able to produce a much smaller (and safer) Democratic convention through the use of modern technology.
Imagine a 2020 Democratic Convention staged with green screens, similar to the ones used in the televised salute to the 2020 graduates which featured former President Barack Obama last weekend. Delegates could appear in real time on dozens of independent screens surrounding the theater, providing enthusiasm and shouts of approval for a host of speakers and entertainers appearing live on stage. The DNC could host a telemeeting to adopt its platform and conduct other non-televised business. Biden and his running mate could then make a last day appearance at the theater and accept the nomination amid the backdrop of enthusiastic Democrats projected onto a green screen and featuring the traditional balloon drop — all with about 100 carefully screened and socially distanced Democrats sitting inside the venue for live support.
In this age of modern technology, conventions are no longer required to be a 4-day gathering of thousands of delegates congregating inside one location, particularly since conventions are mere commercials nowadays and no longer the smoke-filled, backroom brawls of yesteryear. What better an opportunity for Democrats than to not only prove they can still host their convention safely and responsibly, but also totally recreate the concept of what a convention should look like for a new generation of American voters.
If Repubs are stupid enough to follow Trump into a convention with covid going around let them. Maybe they will all be in a hospital together when it comes time to vote. For Biden and the Dems they are on the right track. Have the convention if everything is safe by August. But if not they are getting ready with a virtual convention. I would actually like to see what a virtual convention would look like over the old type convention. Get some Hollywood Dems in there to produce the hell out of it and it could end up better than a old convention anyway.