Joe Biden has added two Democratic campaign veterans to his staff as he looks to prepare for his party’s national convention this summer — whatever shape the event may take.
Addisu Demissie, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s 2020 presidential campaign manager, joined Biden’s team as a senior adviser who is responsible for coordinating the convention with the Democratic National Committee, the New York Times reported on Monday.
Lindsay Holst, Biden’s digital director when he was vice president, has been tasked with managing special projects, including the campaign’s online presence. Her role will be especially critical this cycle as Democrats weigh hosting a virtual event, at least in part.
The Democratic National Convention was scheduled for mid-July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but was pushed back a month to Aug. 17-22 as the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to overwhelm the country’s hospital system. While stay-at-home measures flattened the curve of infection rates, states are only slowly reopening. Milwaukee, for instance, still prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people.
The 2020 quadrennial confabulation, in which presidential candidates are traditionally named each party’s nominee ahead of a general election, will be different from those of the past. Wisconsin Democrats have told the Washington Examiner the convention will likely include smaller, in-person gatherings and digital programming to minimize the spread of the virus among the 50,000-plus delegates, officials, guests, and members of the press expected to attend.
But uncertainty continues to pervade planning. Biden himself has suggested the convention could take place over two days with only 5,000 people. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has floated the idea of a one-day event held at an outdoor stadium.
Meanwhile, President Trump and the Republican National Committee are at loggerheads with Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper about their convention a week later in Charlotte from Aug. 24-27. The GOP and the governor exchanged angry letters last week as they negotiate how the city, contractually obligated to host the event, can do so safely amid the pandemic.
