Running for President During a Pandemic

Jason Zengerle: “Biden’s campaign advisers scouted his house for a suitable location where he could film campaign (and proof-of-life) appearances. They quickly settled on an out-of-the-way spot in his basement in front of a bookshelf adorned with family photos and personal artifacts, including the American flag that flew over the United States Capitol in honor of his late son Beau. Over the course of two hectic days, a video-production crew installed the wiring, lighting and camera necessary for a full-fledged TV studio. On March 23, standing behind a lectern affixed with his campaign logo, Biden prepared to address the nation via live­stream for the first time.”

“In the subsequent weeks, the lectern has been replaced with a chair, and Biden, who as vice president became accustomed to having interviewers come to him, has tried to acclimate himself to the remote setup. Now rarely a day goes by that the candidate — sometimes in a suit, sometimes in a sweater, always in front of that bookshelf — doesn’t pop up on Morning Joe or Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, the local news in Detroit or his own Facebook page, to let Americans know he’s still out there.”