Biden will accept nom in vid stream

Joe Biden will not accept his party’s presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention in America’s Dairyland later this month because of concerns over the still-raging coronavirus pandemic, Democratic officials announced Wednesday.

Instead, Biden will deliver his acceptance speech via video stream from his home state of Delaware, the officials said, meaning the highlight of the Milwaukee convention will be entirely virtual.

“From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said. “That’s the kind of steady and responsible leadership America deserves. And that’s the leadership Joe Biden will bring to the White House.”

Perez said specifics on Biden’s acceptance speech and other formalities are forthcoming.

Other speakers won’t travel to the convention site in Milwaukee, either, opting instead to deliver virtual remarks.

“While we wish we could move forward with welcoming the world to beautiful Milwaukee in two weeks, we recognize protecting the health of our host community and everyone involved with this convention must be paramount,” said Joe Solmonese, the Democratic convention’s CEO.

The pared-down convention is still slated to take place in Milwaukee between Aug. 17-20.

However, very few aspects of the political bash will take place in-person.

According to a scheduling sheet released by the DNC, the convention will be aired between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. every night, featuring “hundreds” of video feeds. The sheet also says a “virtual video control room” will give participants the “potential of interacting with Americans from around the country.”

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers praised Biden for “putting health and safety first.”