Dems prepare for first ‘virtual’ convention
Swapping balloon drops and applause for virtual happy hours and living room webcams, Democrats will convene online for four consecutive days this week, crowning former Vice President Joe Biden as their torchbearer while coalescing as much energy as they can around the party’s electoral prospects without the zeal of an in-person convention.
The Democratic National Convention will be a virtual affair this year because of COVID19’s limits on gatherings. Milwaukee was selected as the host city. The convention will culminate in a prime-time speech Thursday night by Mr. Biden as he accepts the party’s presidential nomination. The speech will be consumed by Pennsylvania’s many delegates by livestream, the last of dozens of livestreamed events they will watch.
Like conventions past, Pennsylvania’s delegation will attend caucus meetings focused on different policy issues and constituencies, where party members will discuss their message to voters ahead of the November election.
But this time, members — and the general public — will attend by webcam and follow along by streaming. Each day of virtual programming will end with a prime-time speaker slate, which will include Sen. Bernie Sanders and former first lady Michelle Obama on Monday; former President Bill Clinton and Jill Biden on Tuesday; Sen. Kamala Harris, the presumptive vice presidential nominee, and former President Barack Obama on Wednesday; and Mr. Biden on Thursday.
Pennsylvania’s delegates, some elected in June’s primary and some automatically appointed to represent the party, will gather each morning online to hear speeches from some of the state’s top Democrats.
Monday morning’s lineup for Pennsylvania includes Sen. Bob Casey, Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro. On Tuesday, the entire Democratic congressional delegation will speak — and so will a special guest, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Wednesday is for state legislative leaders, and Thursday will feature county and municipal leaders, including Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
Also, a virtual event will showcase “rising stars” in the
Pennsylvania Democratic Party. State Rep. Austin Davis, D-McKeesport, will speak during that event, just one of the many Zoom calls he expects to take from the confines of his house.
Mr. Davis attended the 2016 DNC, held in-person in Philadelphia, and said the energy was exciting. But the party ultimately lost the election that year, he noted. This year, Democrats are “fired up” for Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris, he insisted.
“While the convention will be different — and you won’t see the balloon drops or all the delegates — I think the enthusiasm is still there and [the virtual convention is] a reminder of the failed policies of the Trump administration to get the coronavirus under control” and will motivate people to mobilize, Mr. Davis said.
When he’s watching the prime-time programming, Mr. Davis said, he wants to hear Democrats tell the
American people that they have a plan to govern — a plan “that’s going to keep Americans healthy and rebuild our economy,” among others.
That might not mean mentioning Mr. Trump’s name in every sentence, Mr. Davis said.
“The reality is, people have made up their minds about Donald Trump,” Mr. Davis said. “I think we win this election not based on him, but what our plan and our vision [are] for the American people,” said Mr. Davis, who hopes the party makes the case for how it will bring health care costs down and restore America’s standing on the international stage.
Sierra Parm, a Pittsburgh nonprofit director who is participating in a Democratic convention for the first time, said she’s “a little bit saddened” about not gathering in person, but that she doesn’t think it will dampen the energy at all.
Ms. Parm said she wants to hear the party speak about how it will address issues of social justice, mass incarceration and gentrification in Black and brown communities, as well as how the party will help the Black community in the midst of the pandemic.
Pennsylvania’s delegation was supposed to be housed in Chicago for an inperson convention, said Bibiana Boerio, a first-time delegate and former congressional candidate. Ms. Boerio said she appreciates that the party made the decision early to go virtual.
She received a goody bag Thursday from the party, which includes DNC pins, instructions for virtual meetings, and some cue cards that she thinks will be used in some type of a virtual show-of-force this week.
From her party, she wants to hear a commitment to restoring the rule of law and the “ethics and values that this country was founded on,” she said. Democrats should display competence, empathy, compassion and collaboration, she added.
Ray Linsenmayer, also a first-time delegate and former congressional candidate, said he wants to hear a message of “unity” from the party, and from Mr. Biden, that he’s “someone who knows how to get out of this.”
Since 2016, Democrats have gone “full steam” ahead and have built broad networks across the state, Mr. Linsenmayer said. Those networks will be mobilized this week, he noted.
Mr. Biden’s pick of Ms. Harris as vice president has energized the party in itself, Mr. Linsenmayer said.
Mr. Davis agreed, noting that in the first 48 hours after she was chosen, the campaign raised $48 million.
“There’s no balloon drop that’s going to do that for you,” Mr. Davis said.