Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's presidential campaign is forging a new path, gathering a nationwide audience of supporters over Zoom to make up for a Democratic National Convention devoid of its usual live audience of thousands due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The campaign announced Friday that virtual watch parties will take place in all 50 states throughout next week's convention, with elected officials like Pete Buttigieg and celebrities like Alyssa Milano acting as hosts, according to a news release shared first with CNN.
The watch parties offer a glimpse into how the campaign is making do with the challenges of hosting a virtual convention - a fanfare celebration that typically sees tens of thousands of supporters gathering together in person - almost entirely in the virtual realm due to restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
For the evenings that presumptive Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and Biden deliver their speeches - Wednesday and Thursday, respectively - the campaign has recruited an array of high-profile guests to host watch parties in different states across the nation.
Biden's former Democratic rivals from the presidential primary, including Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Buttigieg, are among the hosts.
Other high-profile hosts include New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, L.A. Mayor and Biden campaign co-chair Eric Garcetti, actors Connie Britton, Milano and BD Wong, Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez and Biden's sister, Valerie Biden Owens.
"Americans across the country are fired up to vote for the Biden-Harris ticket in November and restore the soul of our nation," Biden for President National Organizing Director Kurt Bagley said in a statement. "There are 81 days until Election Day and we are ready to harness the energy on the ground to ensure that Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Democrats up and down the ticket are elected on November 3rd."
