前副总统乔·拜登450多天前开始的马拉松式总统竞选现在进入了一个关键阶段——离选举日还有最后100天，竞选活动仍在接受美国总统选举委员会的考验冠状病毒。
拜登在选举日冲刺之际，确立了自己在与总统竞选中的民调领先地位唐纳德·特朗普——作为他的竞选伙伴的平行竞赛正迅速接近尾声。
在接下来的几周里，随着长达数月的审查过程进入最后阶段，拜登预计将提名与他一起参选的女性。知情人士表示，最早可能在8月的第一周宣布。
据了解审查过程的多位消息人士透露，负责审查一批不同女性候选人的拜登副总统候选人审查委员会已经开始与一些候选人举行新一轮会议，因为这位前副总统有望缩减与决赛候选人进行“个人讨论”的名单。
本周早些时候，拜登提供了该进程的一些最实质性的细节，透露该委员会由四位共同主席组成——前康涅狄格州参议员克里斯·多德;特拉华州众议员丽莎·布朗特·罗切斯特;洛杉矶市长埃里克·加希提;和拜登的前白宫和参议院顾问辛西娅·c·霍根向他简要介绍了至少四名候选人。
“当我完成对所有候选人的审查后，我将缩小名单。然后我们会看到，然后我会和剩下的每一位候选人进行个人讨论。”
拜登还证实，仍有四名非洲裔美国女性在争夺这一职位，这表明他的候选人名单可能正在缩小。据推测，参议员卡马拉·哈里斯、众议员卡伦·巴斯和瓦尔·戴明斯、亚特兰大市长凯莎·兰斯·博茨和前国家安全顾问苏珊·赖斯都在第二名的候选人名单上。
在本周另一次当地采访中，拜登还证实密歇根州州长格雷琴·惠特莫仍在考虑之中。
但自从乔治·弗洛伊德(George Floyd)于5月去世后，拜登面临着越来越大的压力，要他选择一位非洲裔美国女性作为自己的竞选伙伴，尤其是在他的竞选活动因南卡罗来纳州初选中非洲裔美国选民的压倒性支持而复苏之后。弗洛伊德的去世引发了全国范围内的种族不平等，并把关于种族不公正的辩论推到了政治领域的中心。
不过，拜登拒绝公开向压力让步，指出他的决定不是基于任何一个标准。他说，他的选择将考虑许多因素——首先也是最重要的，如果候选人在第一天就能成为总统，如果他们对自己的观点“简单明了”。
“黑人女性支持了我的整个职业生涯。拜登说:“你们都表现得好像在南卡罗来纳州突然有了顿悟。”“他们就是那个带我去舞会的人，就像那句老话所说的。我很忠诚，他们也很忠诚。”
拜登此前曾表示，他打算在民主党全国代表大会(民主党全国代表大会定于8月17日至8月20日举行)之前做出选择，为拜登留出三周的时间来完成他的审查并推出他的选择。
拜登，副总统挑选开球将军选举在变革的大会上
一旦拜登正式提名他的副总统人选，这一决定可能会提升他在战场地图上的选举运气，两人将在民主党全国代表大会上正式标志着大选之战的开始，这是一个艰难的初选季节的高潮，在历史上，这是一个展现政党团结的时刻。
然而，在他自己的连任竞选中，特朗普突然取消了周四在佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔的大会演讲的预期，理由是安全问题和国家的情绪。
“我认为我们会做得很好，我仍然会以不同的形式做一个大会发言，但我们不会做一个大的，拥挤的大会本身。”特朗普周四在白宫举行的冠状病毒简报会上对记者表示:“现在还不是时候。”
尽管在美国有超过400万的COVID病例和接近150，000的死亡病例，威斯康辛州也创下了每日新增病例的记录，民主党人仍在按计划推进他们在密尔沃基的四年一次的集会。
但是大流行带来的环境和特朗普出人意料的声明增加了压力，并引发了关于民主党自己集会安全性的新问题。
民主党全国委员会主席汤姆·佩雷斯(Tom Perez)立即寻求消除这些障碍，宣传民主党全国委员会在6月份做出的正式决定，即过渡到一个规模明显缩小的会议，将虚拟活动和密尔沃基的活动结合起来。
2020年2月7日，新罕布什尔州曼彻斯特圣安塞尔姆学院，民主党全国委员会主席汤姆·佩雷斯在民主党总统初选辩论前讲话
“与特朗普不同的是，我们关注科学，听取医生和公共卫生专家的意见，并制定保护生命的计划。”这就是我们决定举行一次负责任的会议的原因。”
周五，也就是特朗普宣布提名的第二天，佩雷斯重申，全国代表大会仍将“在密尔沃基举行”，拜登将按计划亲自接受提名。
他周五在SiriusXM的“乔·麦迪逊秀”上说:“民主党全国代表大会将会少很多人参加，我们一直在关注科学。”“我们已经告诉大会代表，他们可以远程投票，他们不应该来密尔沃基。我们停泊在密尔沃基...副总统将接受密尔沃基的提名。”
拜登的演讲预计将在一个缩小的房间前进行，房间里没有党内最忠实的代表，挤满了大厅或在会议大厅里喧闹的争斗。
组织者咨询了卫生专家后告诉各州代表团，他们不应该再计划去威斯康辛州旅行，而应该计划为会议远程开展公务。
本月早些时候，民主党的计划被进一步缩减，当一名大会的高级顾问通知国会议员不要去密尔沃基，因为对冠状病毒的担忧仍然存在。
但是民主党大会的组织者们还没有公布拜登演讲的具体听众是谁以及听众人数是多少的细节。该党还没有宣布卫星定位计划的细节，这些计划预计将被编入每晚的节目中。
今年5月，民主党全国委员会的规则制定者通过了一项允许在大会上进行远程投票的措施，并最终获得了全体委员会的批准。
代表们将在8月大会前两周，即8月3日开始虚拟投票，直到8月15日完成投票，其中包括该党的政纲。所有的投票将在8月15日进行一次计票，而不是滚动计票。
据一名民主党官员称，虽然投票将在一周多一点的时间内对代表们开放，但副总统候选人将不会出现在投票中，不会将拜登与选择候选人的艰难期限联系在一起。
接下来的100天在COVID-19中
随着拜登进入接下来的100天，他在全国和战场州的民调中均领先，最近的民调显示，这位前副总统在关键的州如宾夕法尼亚州、佛罗里达州、威斯康星州和密歇根州以两位数的优势领先。11月，在17个州中，有4个州的支持率达到270%。
根据美国广播公司新闻对2020年大选的初步评级，拜登目前在选举地图上略微领先于特朗普，但并非不可逾越，有279张选举人票倾向或坚定支持民主党，相比之下，有187张选举人票倾向或坚定支持共和党。然而，另外72张选举人票在竞选的这一点上被认为是决定性的。
拜登竞选团队将面临保持选举领先的挑战，因为COVID-19限制了传统的竞选活动，即候选人以疯狂的速度在全国各地穿梭，吸引大量人群，并在那些关键的州会见支持者。
拜登承认，COVID的不确定性意味着竞选很可能会继续依赖虚拟竞选，或者像他的团队自6月初以来举行的有限的地方活动，以达到并激励选民在11月投票。
拜登在本周早些时候接受当地采访时说:“我希望我们能够进行面对面的竞选活动，但总统处理这种病毒的方式让人很难想象我们能够做到这一点。”
他说:“与此同时，我们将继续积极开展竞选活动，在选民的家中会见他们。”
100 days out: Biden faces crucial stretch of 2020 campaign
The marathon presidential race that began for former Vice President Joe Biden more than 450 days ago now enters a crucial stretch -- the final 100 days until Election Day in a campaign that continues to be tested by thecoronavirus.
Biden’s sprint toward Election Day comes as he establishes himself as the polling front-runner in matchups with PresidentDonald Trump-- as a parallel race to be his running mate is quickly approaching its end.
In the coming weeks, Biden is expected to name the woman who will join him on the ticket, as the months-long vetting process enters its final stages, with sources familiar with the process suggesting an announcement could come as soon as the first week of August.
Biden’s vice presidential search committee, charged with vetting a diverse group of female contenders, has begun an additional round of meetings with some of the candidates, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the vetting process as the former vice president is expected to pare down the list for his "personal discussions" with finalists.
Earlier this week, Biden offered some of the most substantive details about the process, revealing that the committee, composed of four co-chairs -- former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd; Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; and Cynthia C. Hogan, former White House and Senate counsel to Biden -- has briefed him on at least four candidates.
"When I get all the vetting done of all the candidates then I'm going to narrow the list. And then we'll see -- and then I'm going to have personal discussions with each of the candidates who are left," Biden said of his vice presidential search.
Biden also confirmed that there are four African American women still in contention for the position -- an indication his list may be narrowing -- as Sen. Kamala Harris, Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former national security advisor Susan Rice were all speculated to be on the list for the number two spot.
In a separate, local interview this week, Biden also confirmed that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is still under consideration.
But since the death of George Floyd in May, which sparked nationwide unrest over racial inequality and pushed the debate over racial injustice into the center of the political sphere, Biden has faced mounting pressure to choose an African American woman as his running mate, particularly after his campaign was revived by the overwhelming support from African American voters in the South Carolina primary.
Still, Biden has refused to publicly concede to the pressure, noting that he is not basing his decision on any one criteria. His choice, he said, will take into consideration a number of factors -- first and foremost, if the candidates can step into the role of president on day one and if they are "simpatico" with his own views.
"Black women supported me my entire career. You all act like all of a sudden there's an epiphany in South Carolina," Biden said. "They're the ones, as that old saying goes, that brought me to the dance. I have been loyal, they've been loyal to me."
Biden has previously said he intends to make his selection before the Democratic National Convention, which is slated for Aug. 17 through Aug. 20, leaving a three-week period for Biden to conclude his vetting and roll out his pick.
Biden, VP pick to kick off generalelectionat transformed convention
Once Biden formally names his vice presidential pick, a decision that could potentially boost his electoral fortunes across the battleground map, the two will officially mark the start of the general election battle at the Democratic National Convention, the culminating event of a hard-fought primary season that historically has been a moment to project party unity.
In his own reelection bid, however, Trump abruptly canceled the fanfare that was expected for his convention speech in Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday, citing both safety concerns and the mood of the country.
"I think we’re gonna do it well, and I’ll still do a convention speech in a different form, but we won't do a big, crowded convention per se. It's just not the right time for that," Trump told reporters during a coronavirus briefing at the White House on Thursday.
Despite more than 4 million cases of COVID and fatalities from the virus approaching 150,000 in the United States with Wisconsin setting records for new daily cases of the virus, Democrats are still moving forward as planned with their quadrennial gathering in Milwaukee.
But circumstances brought on by the pandemic and Trump’s surprise announcement added pressure and raises new questionsabout the safety of Democrats’ own gathering.
Tom Perez, chair of the DNC, immediately sought to stamp those out, touting the DNC's official decision in June to transition to a significantly down-sized convention with a mix of virtual and Milwaukee-based events.
Chair of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez speaks prior to the Democratic presidential primary debate at St. Anselm College on Feb. 07, 2020 in Manchester, N.H.
"Unlike Trump, we followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and worked through plans to protect lives. That’s how we made the decision to hold a responsible convention," he said.
Perez also reiterated on Friday, the day after Trump’s announcement, that the national convention is still set to be "anchored in Milwaukee," with Biden accepting the nomination in person as planned.
"The Democratic Convention is going to have a lot less people at it and we've been following the science," he said on SiriusXM's "The Joe Madison Show" on Friday. "We have told our delegates to the convention that they can vote remotely, that they shouldn't come to Milwaukee. We are anchored in Milwaukee and...the vice president will accept the nomination from Milwaukee."
Biden’s speech is expected to be before a scaled-back room without delegates, the party’s most faithful, packed into the hall or raucous fights on the convention floor.
State delegations were told by organizers, who consulted with health experts, that they should no longer plan to travel to Wisconsin and should plan to conduct official business for the convention remotely.
Earlier this month, Democrats’ plans were scaled back even further, when a senior advisor to the convention informed members of Congress not to travel to Milwaukee either as concerns over coronavirus persisted.
But organizers behind the Democrats’ convention have yet to release details on who exactly will be in the audience for Biden’s speech and what the crowd size will be. The party also has yet to announce details on the plans for satellite locations that are expected to be weaved into each night’s programming.
In May, DNC rule-makers passed a measure to allow for remote voting at the convention and it was ultimately approved by the full committee.
Delegates will begin virtual voting two weeks before the August convention, on Aug. 3 and have until Aug. 15 to complete the ballot, which includes the party’s platform, among things. All the votes will be tallied at once on Aug. 15, instead of on a rolling basis.
While the voting will open for delegates in a little over a week, a vice presidential nominee will not be on the ballot, not tying Biden to a hard deadline for choosing one, according to a Democratic official.
The next 100 days amid COVID-19
As Biden enters the next 100 days, he leads in both national and battleground state polling, with recent polls showing the former vice president with a double-digit lead in critical states like Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan -- four of the 17 states the campaign had marked as part of their path to 270 in November.
According to ABC News’ initial ratings for the 2020 general election, Biden currently holds a small but not insurmountable lead over Trump on the electoral map, with 279 electoral votes leaning or solidly voting Democratic, compared to the 187 votes leaning or solidly Republican. Still, another 72 electoral votes are rated as toss-ups at this point in the race.
The Biden campaign will face the challenge of maintaining its electoral lead as COVID-19 puts constraints on the traditional campaigning of candidates crisscrossing the country at a frantic pace, drawing large crowds and meeting with supporters in those critical states.
Biden acknowledged that the uncertainty of COVID means the campaign will likely continue to rely on virtual campaigning, or the limited local events as his team has held since the beginning of June to reach and motivate voters to the polls in November.
"I hope we're able to do in-person campaigning, but the way the president is dealing with this virus is making it hard to think we're going to be able to do that," Biden said in a local interview earlier this week.
"Meanwhile, we're going to continue aggressively to campaign, to meet voters where they are in their homes," he said.
