The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Democrats and Republicans to take a close look at whether they'll be able to move forward as planned this summer with conventions that typically kick off the general election season. In an interview with MSNBC this week, prospective Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said it’s “hard to envision” a normal convention July 13-16 in Milwaukee. But the former vice president also noted on “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams” that Democrats “have more time” to figure things out as party officials consider contingencies that could range from delaying the convention to making parts of the proceedings virtual so that not as many people attend. “We were able to do it in the middle of a Civil War all the way through to World War II, have Democratic and Republican conventions and primaries and elections and still have public safety,” Biden said. “We’re able to do both.”Republicans, meanwhile, are expressing confidence they can pull off their convention as scheduled in August, but party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel still allows for the possibility that the pandemic could upend GOP plans.

Source: International New York Times April 01, 2020 21:11 UTC