It’s been called the “ghost convention,” the “convention that never was,” and “the most Milwaukee thing imaginable.” The 2020 Democratic National Convention, once set to take over Milwaukee and attract both 50,000 people and the world’s attention, has been reduced to a nearly 100% virtual event. Thanks to COVID-19, the convention is now based in Milwaukee in name only. It’s an incalculable loss for the city.
And yet some semblance of the Milwaukee-based DNC is still taking place. There are miles of fencing surrounding the mostly empty Wisconsin Center and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. There are handfuls of protesters milling around the empty Wisconsin Center and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. And, well, that’s about it. When we paid a visit to the site on Monday during the noon hour, the biggest action was courtesy of a group of union guys protesting an equipment rental place, and some pro-life Democrats hanging out in Zeidler Union Square. Somewhere, an odd dog barked.
Here are 18 pictures (and one video) from Day 1 of the Milwaukee-based DNC. Thanks. We hate them.