Democratic National Convention Goes Virtual

The 2020 Democratic National Convention will mark the official transition of Joe Biden from the party’s presumptive nominee to its official presidential candidate, whose name will show up on ballots next to President Trump.

The Democratic National Convention and will provide the party with four nights of programming to rally its base and persuade swing voters to join their cause.

The party conventions, held every four years, have had their plans for this year significantly altered by the coronavirus pandemic and have had to adjust how they’ll take care of their business. They will still have a footprint in their host cities but won’t bring together the normal crowds of tens of thousands of supporters to inject millions of dollars into the local economy.

Here’s what you need to know about the 2020 Democratic National Convention as it’s being held in the age of the coronavirus.

Location

The Democratic convention was originally slated to happen in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. Due to the pandemic, however, the party has moved almost the entire convention to be virtual, as it plans a “Convention Across America” that will include all 57 states and territories in its programming.

The convention will have its production centered at the Wisconsin Center, a convention center in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, delegates and speakers will stay home — virtually sending in their votes and giving their addresses.

“This convention will look different than any previous convention in history,” convention CEO Joe Solmonese said in a press release. “It will reach more people than ever before, and truly be a convention across America for all Americans, regardless of which party you belong to or who you’ve voted for in previous elections. This ‘unconventional’ convention will launch Joe Biden to victory in November.”

Time

The Democratic convention will hold four nights of programming from Monday through Thursday, starting at 9 p.m. EST each night and ending at 11 p.m. As with the Super Bowl, there will be several pre-shows.

No Biden Appearance

Biden will not travel to Milwaukee due to coronavirus concerns and instead will deliver his acceptance speech from Delaware, his home state. Biden’s running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, will also speak from Delaware.

“From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first. We followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and we continued making adjustments to our plans in order to protect lives. That’s the kind of steady and responsible leadership America deserves. And that’s the leadership Joe Biden will bring to the White House,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said.

Palm Springs City Councilmember Lisa Middleton is a delegate to the Convention.

On the GOP side, Trump also will not travel for his convention speech to either Charlotte, N.C., where official convention business will happen, or to Jacksonville, Fla., where Republicans had planned to move their convention before coronavirus numbers spiked there. He’ll give his speech either from the White House or from Gettysburg National Military Park, according to Fox News.

As for the schedule, here is what we know so far:

Monday: Bernie Sanders, Catherine Cortez Masto, Andrew Cuomo, Gretchen Whitmer, Jim Clyburn, Bennie Thompson, Gwen Moore, John Kasich, Doug Jones, Amy Klobuchar, Michelle Obama

Tuesday: Sally Yates, Chuck Schumer, John Kerry, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Bill Clinton, Jill Biden

During Tuesday night’s programming, there will also be a yet-to-be-disclosed keynote speaker, according to the convention, as well as a virtual roll call with many delegates casting their vote to nominate Biden.

Wednesday: Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Tony Evers, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Gabrielle Giffords, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama

Thursday: Cory Booker, Andrew Yang, Gavin Newsom, Keisha Lance Bottoms,  Pete Buttigieg, Tammy Baldwin, Tammy Duckworth, Chris Coons, The Biden Family, Joe Biden

Entertainment

The 2020 DNC will also include a variety of musicians, headlined by Billie Eilish and John Legend. Also performing will be Leon Bridges, Billy Porter, The Chicks (formerly known as The Dixie Chicks) and more