Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden To Accept Nomination In Person At Milwaukee Convention, But Delegates Will Be Told To Stay Home
Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials said Wednesday. Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it. (Barrow, 6/24)
The DNC said convention organizers will encourage state delegations to plan to conduct their official business remotely. The committee is developing a process to ensure that delegates can cast their votes on convention matters, including the presidential nomination, without being at the convention in person. The party will also host events in several satellite cities across the nation during the convention. (Thomas and Glazer, 6/24)
The decision to shift gears and shrink attendance, abandoning the city鈥檚 basketball arena for a nearby convention hall, is intended to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus and establish a clear contrast with President Trump, who wants a large and raucous event with thousands of cheering supporters to celebrate his nomination. 鈥淭he thing that I believe more than anything is that Donald Trump needs the roar of a crowd to feel he is in charge,鈥 Democratic convention CEO Joe Solmonese said. 鈥淎nd Joe Biden was born to be in charge.鈥 (Scherer, 6/24)
In other election news 鈥
Joseph R. Biden Jr. has taken a commanding lead over President Trump in the 2020 race, building a wide advantage among women and nonwhite voters and making deep inroads with some traditionally Republican-leaning groups that have shifted away from Mr. Trump following his ineffective response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new national poll of registered voters by The New York Times and Siena College. (Burns, Martin and Stevens, 6/24)
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Thursday will visit the heart of must-win Pennsylvania to highlight healthcare policies that his campaign hopes will sway voters to choose him over President Donald Trump. As part of a slow creep out of his Delaware home amid coronavirus concerns to destinations further afield, Biden, who grew up in the Pennsylvania rust-belt city of Scranton, is headed to the city of Lancaster as part of a trip intended to weaken the Republican president鈥檚 standing with swing-state voters. (Hunnicutt, 6/25)
President Trump鈥檚 reelection campaign is suing the largest Democratic super PAC for running an ad that聽it says聽misrepresents the president鈥檚 remarks about the coronavirus. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Wisconsin, alleges that Priorities USA, the main super PAC backing former Vice President Joe Biden鈥檚 presidential bid, 鈥渒nowingly and intentionally鈥 manipulated audio clips of Trump to make it seem as if the president had called the coronavirus a 鈥渉oax鈥 and downplayed the threat posed by the pandemic. (Greenwood, 6/24)