Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden’s first virtual town hall on Friday was denounced as “an absolute technical nightmare.”
Biden had been scheduled to hold a traditional campaign event in Illinois on Friday.
However, in light of restrictions on gatherings that are being put in place in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the campaign decided to make the event a virtual town hall.
As CNN reported, the event was pushed back by two hours from its original start time, and then still started 15 minutes late.
Makena Kelly, who dissected the event for The Verge, explained what greeted her when she clicked in.
“When I logged onto Joe Biden’s first-ever virtual town hall, I was greeted with one Illinois senator adjusting the angle of her webcam and another showing off an adorable (but screaming) baby in an oddly intimate video call before the former vice president even appeared onscreen,” she wrote in her piece, which was titled simply, “Joe Biden’s first virtual town hall was an absolute technical nightmare.”
“What was at first an awkwardly silent video conference evolved into a complete technical nightmare that resulted in Biden sounding as if he was screaming in TV static for the first few minutes of the event,” she wrote.
LGBTQ group reveals which Dem nominee is sponsoring Halloween event featuring drag shows
Woman accused of defacing WWII Memorial with spray paint indicted by federal grand jury
Woody Harrelson Formally Asks UK’s New Prime Minister to Probe COVID ‘Vaccine Injury’
Watch: Dems’ New ‘Anti-Zionism’ Is Really Anti-Semitism, And It Only Takes 30 Seconds for Biggest Game Streamer in the World to Explain It
Judge throws out Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s 9/11 confession in already long wait for trial
Trump vows ‘powerful appeal’ after another federal court rejects hush money case
Three sentenced for Feeding Our Future fraud at Minnesota meal sites
Reagan-era official warns ‘red-green alliance’ has shared goal of ‘destroying’ America
Antifa-linked sites go dark after State Department terror designation of tech collective
Jerry Sandusky granted new evidentiary hearing after accuser recants testimony
Jerry Sandusky Accuser to Recant Testimony in Court
Local Pennsylvania Official Accuses Gov. Shapiro of Major ‘Measles Deaths’ Deception
Newsom targets major affordability squeeze in ‘striking’ convergence with Trump
Kamala Harris dives into midterm fight only to get roasted for never having ‘an original thought in her life’
Biden-era FBI took ‘minimal corrective action’ and defended staff after targeting Catholics
Those attending the event pointed out the problems.
In fact, the first question was actually a critique from a viewer who noted, “Mr. Biden’s speech was garbly the entire time.”
Biden also seemed flummoxed by the technology.
“Am I live?” he said when the third questioner of the evening was speaking.
“Am I on camera?” he said as the fourth person asked a question.
Near the end of the town hall event, Biden wandered off screen.
At one point, only the back half of his head was visible.
While he soon came back, the campaign eventually decided that was enough. The video stream was cut, and the rest of the event was audio only:
LGBTQ group reveals which Dem nominee is sponsoring Halloween event featuring drag shows
Woman accused of defacing WWII Memorial with spray paint indicted by federal grand jury
Woody Harrelson Formally Asks UK’s New Prime Minister to Probe COVID ‘Vaccine Injury’
Watch: Dems’ New ‘Anti-Zionism’ Is Really Anti-Semitism, And It Only Takes 30 Seconds for Biggest Game Streamer in the World to Explain It
Judge throws out Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s 9/11 confession in already long wait for trial
Trump vows ‘powerful appeal’ after another federal court rejects hush money case
Three sentenced for Feeding Our Future fraud at Minnesota meal sites
Reagan-era official warns ‘red-green alliance’ has shared goal of ‘destroying’ America
Antifa-linked sites go dark after State Department terror designation of tech collective
Jerry Sandusky granted new evidentiary hearing after accuser recants testimony
Jerry Sandusky Accuser to Recant Testimony in Court
Local Pennsylvania Official Accuses Gov. Shapiro of Major ‘Measles Deaths’ Deception
Newsom targets major affordability squeeze in ‘striking’ convergence with Trump
Kamala Harris dives into midterm fight only to get roasted for never having ‘an original thought in her life’
Biden-era FBI took ‘minimal corrective action’ and defended staff after targeting Catholics
Before Biden signed off, he made a comment that summed up the evening, according to Breitbart.
“I’m sorry this is such a disjointed effort here,” Biden said.
Twitter was not kind to the event:
What’s he talking about? Wow.
— Scott Sheridan (@SSheridan74) March 14, 2020
This is part of the virtual town hall the Biden campaign wouldn't post
Garbled/cut out audio, blank screens, randomly going live to unsuspecting participants
A complete disaster pic.twitter.com/eLGgHyPm91
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) March 14, 2020
LGBTQ group reveals which Dem nominee is sponsoring Halloween event featuring drag shows
Woman accused of defacing WWII Memorial with spray paint indicted by federal grand jury
Woody Harrelson Formally Asks UK’s New Prime Minister to Probe COVID ‘Vaccine Injury’
Watch: Dems’ New ‘Anti-Zionism’ Is Really Anti-Semitism, And It Only Takes 30 Seconds for Biggest Game Streamer in the World to Explain It
Judge throws out Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s 9/11 confession in already long wait for trial
Trump vows ‘powerful appeal’ after another federal court rejects hush money case
Three sentenced for Feeding Our Future fraud at Minnesota meal sites
Reagan-era official warns ‘red-green alliance’ has shared goal of ‘destroying’ America
Antifa-linked sites go dark after State Department terror designation of tech collective
Jerry Sandusky granted new evidentiary hearing after accuser recants testimony
Jerry Sandusky Accuser to Recant Testimony in Court
Local Pennsylvania Official Accuses Gov. Shapiro of Major ‘Measles Deaths’ Deception
Newsom targets major affordability squeeze in ‘striking’ convergence with Trump
Kamala Harris dives into midterm fight only to get roasted for never having ‘an original thought in her life’
Biden-era FBI took ‘minimal corrective action’ and defended staff after targeting Catholics
Joe Biden is the worst presidential candidate of all-time.pic.twitter.com/rEVyjBy7hu
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) March 14, 2020
“Biden’s first-ever virtual town hall was a sorry first sign for the future of digital campaigning, something that will become ever more important as the presidential race heats up and coronavirus spreads across the country,” Kelly wrote.
“Hopefully the Biden campaign and others can get it together before November, or at least until the pandemic fades.”
Story cited here.
