Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden will not personally accept his nomination to the Democratic convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "in order to protect public health." This was announced on Wednesday August 5 by the organizers of the event, scheduled for August 17 to 20.

The latter explained that they had taken this decision "after consultations with public health officials and experts, who highlighted the worsening of the coronavirus pandemic". Joe Biden will deliver his speech to formalize his candidacy from Delaware, where he lives, they said. The time and place will be announced "later". 

Completely virtual

None of the speakers scheduled to deliver speeches will be traveling to Milwaukee, organizers added, making the convention entirely virtual.

The big Democratic speeches will be broadcast every evening from 9 pm to 11 pm, from August 17 to 20, the organizers said, while during the day, the Americans will be able to intervene by video conference "across the country".

"This 'unconventional' convention will launch Joe Biden to victory in November," said convention organizing director Joe Solmonese.

Donald Trump plans to speak from the White House

His rival, President Donald Trump, said earlier on Wednesday that he was planning to deliver his speech accepting the Republican nomination for the Nov. 3 presidential election from the White House, without attending the Republican convention either.

High masses in American political life, conventions usually mark the official start of the electoral campaign. Thousands of people come to attend the speeches of the candidates and their supporters, broadcast live on all the major channels.

The Covid-19, which has killed more than 156,000 people in the United States, has completely turned the electoral campaign upside down, making any electoral rally impossible.

Despite this muted campaign, carried out mostly from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, Joe Biden, 77, is ahead of Donald Trump, 74, in the polls.

The Republican president has a privileged "podium" with his speeches at the White House. But the latter has been strongly criticized for his management of the pandemic and the organization of meetings and trips in the midst of the crisis, where he appeared most of the time without wearing a mask.

With AFP

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