The New York Times is reporting that former Vice President Joe Biden will not come to Milwaukee for the Democratic National Convention in August, which, the paper says, will be almost entirely virtual.
Biden is expected to accept the presidential nomination remotely.
"Democrats are once again dialing back plans for their party convention, announcing on Wednesday that the event will effectively be entirely virtual," the paper reported Wednesday.
"On the advice of health officials working for the party, no national Democratic officials – not even former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. – will travel to the event from out of state to participate in events. Mr. Biden will accept the party’s presidential nomination from his home state, Delaware."
Mayor Tom Barrett is scheduled to provide an update on the DNC today at 2 p.m.
While, the Times wrote, health officials advising the convention organizers have suggested that no one should travel to Milwaukee for the convention, for fear of carrying the virus with them, "Wisconsin officials are still expected to give speeches from Milwaukee’s downtown convention center, but leading Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, plan to deliver their addresses from elsewhere. Delegates had already been instructed not to attend."
According to Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, "From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first. That’s the kind of steady and responsible leadership America deserves. And that’s the leadership Joe Biden will bring to the White House."
In a tweet, County Executive David Crowley wrote, "Of course, I wish we could showcase MKE to the world with an in-person convention, and it is my hope to do so in the future. But today I know the DNC and the Joe Biden campaign have made a responsible decision to put the health and safety of the American people first."
So ... 2024?
If the Democratic National Committee really wants to make a good impression on Wisconsin, it will announce that the search committee has completed it’s review of sites for the 2024 party convention and decided unanimously that it will take place in... Milwaukee.#DNCMKE2024 — John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) August 5, 2020
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
