Biden needs to pivot to a Covid-19 campaign strategy (opinion)

Yet Biden’s obstacles to victory remain immense. Unless things miraculously return to normal in the near future, this election will be like no other in our lifetime. The coronavirus will force the Democratic Party to re-imagine what it means to run for the presidency. Without the possibility of running a ground game for at least several months, if not more, Biden and his campaign will face the real challenge of getting his message out to the public in the most surreal of times.

Biden needs to demonstrate that he can do a better job using social media to build momentum in a time when most Americans are understandably focused on the pandemic. Most Americans are barely hearing from any major Democrat these days with the exception of a handful of Democratic governors, like New York’s Andrew Cuomo and California’s Gavin Newsom. The news is dominated by the latest updates about the spread of the disease, as well the president’s daily press briefings, which suck all the oxygen from the room.

The odds are there will be very little traditional campaigning, public appearances or televised town halls. Even the Democratic National Convention, a key event that serves to showcase the candidate, has already been postponed, with the possibility it might be held online.

The Biden team will also have to figure out ways to attract more interest from the television networks. Working within the limits of social distancing, Biden will also need to consider staging some events, including one in which he could name a running mate and potential cabinet appointments. He could hold regular press briefings, and make a few targeted on-site visits to factories that are shut down. This would create opportunities for Biden to explain to the public how he would build a team and do things differently than Trump.

Finally, Democrats need to rethink their agenda. Biden’s campaign was built around the idea that he is the anti-Trump candidate, best positioned to defeat the president — but that may no longer be enough. The pandemic has reshaped the national agenda. The public health care system is under tremendous strain, and the economy is in tatters.

Biden needs to adjust his platform and address these problems. He needs to present a plan that will give Americans access to the health insurance they will need to cover the costs born out of this virus. And with Americans suffering through a crisis echoing the magnitude of the Great Depression, voters will need to hear how he will get this country humming again. He would also do well to promote a plan to safeguard both the health care system and the economy, should another outbreak occur.

President Trump failed to prepare for the coronavirus and waited until it was too late to respond to an epic challenge. Biden shouldn’t make the same mistake when it comes to presenting his vision for a country now facing extraordinary circumstances.

The consequences of this election will be enormous. Biden has done a good job so far of beating the odds and demonstrating that he knows how to win a campaign. But he now faces not only a president who seems willing to go to any length to win reelection, but also an election that has been completely transformed in just weeks due to a global pandemic.

What comes next will be unlike anything he has faced before. Democrats are wondering, will Biden rise to the occasion? He surprised many with his speedy victory in a crowded primary, and now many in the party are hoping that he can do this again.