Well, it’s official. Hot on the heels on Joe Biden telling Jimmy Fallon (!) that the 2020 Democratic National Convention will likely be postponed, news has arrived that, well, the 2020 Democratic National Convention has been postponed. Originally scheduled for July 13-17 in Milwaukee, the DNC will now (hopefully) take place the week of August 17.
A statement on the DNC’s website reads:
In light of the unprecedented health crisis facing our country, the 2020 Democratic National Convention will now be held the week of August 17 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, providing our team more time to determine the most appropriate structure for this historic event.
Ensuring the safety of the convention’s host community and all convention-goers has been—and always will remain—the top priority of the Democratic National Convention Committee. As we continue to monitor the unpredictable and unprecedented public health emergency, we remain in constant communication with the local, state, and federal officials responsible for protecting public health and security, and will continue to follow their guidance.
A statement from Joe Solmonese, CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee, reads:
“In our current climate of uncertainty, we believe the smartest approach is to take additional time to monitor how this situation unfolds so we can best position our party for a safe and successful convention. During this critical time, when the scope and scale of the pandemic and its impact remain unknown, we will continue to monitor the situation and follow the advice of health care professionals and emergency responders. I have always believed that American innovation and ingenuity shine brightest during our darkest days, and for that reason, I’m confident our convention planning team and our partners will find a way to deliver a convention in Milwaukee this summer that places our Democratic nominee on the path to victory in November.”
A full press release includes this:
As part of their contingency planning efforts, the Democratic National Convention Committee has confirmed that Fiserv Forum, the Wisconsin Center District and hotel accommodations in the surrounding area are available in August. The convention planning team will now use the coming weeks to further explore all options to ensure nominating the next president of the United States is done without unnecessary risk to public health. These options include everything from adjusting the convention’s format to crowd size and schedule.
Contingency planning is an important feature of preparations for every convention. The Democratic National Convention Committee is comprised of seasoned convention and event veterans who have been contingency planning for a variety of scenarios from day one. As they continue to monitor the coronavirus health crisis, and the impact it’s having on the country, they will continue to examine all options for the success of the convention that ensure the safety of any participants and the host city. As the convention’s plans are further finalized, more details will be made publicly available.
During a press conference following the announcement, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett had this to say [via Urban Milwaukee]:
“I consider this extremely good news. It was always clear to me that they were committed to nominating the next Democratic Presidential nominee in the city of Milwaukee.
“I hope this will serve as a very, very important shot in the arm for our businesses.”