Dems delay convention to August

The Democrats still want to have a live convention, but coronavirus has pushed it closer to Labor Day than July 4.

Party officials Thursday rescheduled the critical electionyear gathering to start August 17, just a week before the Republicans hold their own convention.

The Democratic convention had been planned for mid-July in Milwaukee before the pandemic struck.

Organizers reportedly are also considering fewer bells and whistles than usual as the American people grapple with a brutal economic downturn sparked by the pandemic.

“People are going to be hurting,” a Democratic National Committee official told Politico. “It’s not a time to be lavish.”

The decision came hours after Democratic front runner Joe BIden said he wanted to hold the shindig later in the summer when the coronavirus pandemic may have eased.

“I think it’s gonna have to move into August,” Biden told NBC late-night host Jimmy Fallon. “And then, even then ... we just have to be prepared for the alternative.”

Democrats had conceded the pandemic would likely make it impossible to hold the convention as planned on July 13-17.

Biden has forged a commanding lead in the primary race to pick a standard bearer to take on President Trump in November. Bernie Sanders has refused to drop out, which could complicate Democratic efforts to unify the party for the general election.

Coronavirus has already wreaked havoc with the Democratic primary race, with almost all upcoming contests delayed to May or even June. New York plans to hold its primary on June 23.

Wisconsin is still set to go ahead with its primary election on Tuesday, although a federal judge called on officials to delay it until public health conditions improve.

Both parties could eventually be forced to switch to some kind of virtual gathering to vote on a nominee, which is the main piece of actual business at the gathering.