Biden to give speech on US response to outbreak
WILMINGTON: Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden will deliver a speech on the country’s response to the coronavirus outbreak today, one day after he cancelled upcoming public rallies amid widening public health concerns.
Mr Biden and White House rival Bernie Sanders have been forced to reevaluate their approach to campaigning in the face of warnings about the health dangers inherent in big crowds and handshakes, two staples of traditional political races.
Both candidates in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Republican President Donald Trump in the Nov 3 election cancelled events in Ohio and dropped off the campaign trail after Mr Biden rolled to big wins over Mr Sanders in four of the six states that voted on Tuesday.
Mr Biden’s campaign on Wednesday converted planned rallies in Florida and Illinois into “virtual” campaign events as the coronavirus outbreak officially became a global pandemic.
The Biden campaign created a committee composed mostly of doctors to advise on how to keep the candidate, staff and voters safe. Mr Sanders’ campaign has said it will address plans on a day-to-day basis.
The former vice president’s speech in his home state of Delaware will give Mr Biden, who has criticised Mr Trump’s response to the outbreak and called it a matter of presidential leadership, a chance to portray himself as a steady, experienced hand in the face of a public health crisis.
Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, is a highly contagious respiratory illness.
The number of US coronavirus cases has risen steadily to 1,311, with 38 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.
Mr Sanders, a democratic socialist senator from Vermont, said on Wednesday he would stay in the race despite the primary losses to Mr Biden and would keep pushing for his economic and social justice agenda.
Mr Biden, 77, and Mr Sanders, 78, will debate in Phoenix on Sunday ahead of next week’s nominating contests in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. The debate will not have an in-person audience, however, because of health concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
Despite his recent losses, Mr Sanders said his anti-corporate economic agenda was gaining support from young people.