Joe Biden Won’t Travel to Milwaukee For DNC

For months Mayor Tom Barrett has insisted the one thing he knows for sure with the Democratic National Convention is that former Vice President Joe Biden would accept the nomination in Milwaukee.

Now even that’s changed.

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced Wednesday morning that no speakers would travel to Milwaukee for the convention, including Biden and his vice president pick.

Biden is expected to address the nation from his home state of Delaware.

Delegates were already told to stay home, as were members of Congress, as the convention has been scaled back multiple times and delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s scheduled to run from August 17th through the 20th with speeches from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night.

But who will be in the room at the Wisconsin Center remains unclear. As of Wednesday morning press credentials for the convention had not been revoked.

“From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first,” said DNC chair Tom Perez in a statement. “We followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and we continued making adjustments to our plans in order to protect lives. That’s the kind of safety and responsible leadership America deserves.”

The convention, awarded to Milwaukee in March 2019, was originally expected to bring 50,000 people and $200 million in spending to the city. Barrett has repeatedly said landing the convention again in 2024 was not a given.

The Republic National Convention, originally scheduled for Charlotte, NC, was moved by President Donald Trump to Jackonsville, FL so it could be held in person. The in-person Jacksonville convention was later canceled.