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.
Florida judge rips into mom accused of leaving 4 children at home to go on 3-day cruise
Ole Miss students’ toxicology reports completed, official says
Watch: Desperate Jake Tapper Begs Ambassador to Plead His Case to Trump and Let CNN Back Into Press Pool, Gets Rejected Live on Air
Police: Man ‘Intentionally’ Drove Into Closed Texas Grocery Store to Use the Restroom
US announces all forces withdrawn from Iraq after 12-year anti-ISIS mission
Senate hopeful’s ‘treading water’ narrative crumbles under $500K campaign payouts to family
Woke NFL Asks DHS to Remove Hall of Fame Defender from Clip of Agency Vowing to Stop Migrant Caravan
Inside the neighborhood living on the edge of America’s tech frontier
Watch: Lindsay Clancy’s Defense Team Screams at Black Media Member While Entering Courthouse for Retrial Hearing
Liberal stronghold set to adopt eye-popping minimum wage amid business exodus
US faces another major Middle East troop withdrawal, but threat remains
Republicans worry they’ve ‘glossed over’ voters’ affordability concerns
John McGuire touts his Trump endorsement as safe red seat suddenly looks shakier
Ohio cancer patient sues hospital after surgeon allegedly amputated wrong leg
Utah man released after decades on death row as DNA evidence excludes him from 1985 killing
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:
Florida judge rips into mom accused of leaving 4 children at home to go on 3-day cruise
Ole Miss students’ toxicology reports completed, official says
Watch: Desperate Jake Tapper Begs Ambassador to Plead His Case to Trump and Let CNN Back Into Press Pool, Gets Rejected Live on Air
Police: Man ‘Intentionally’ Drove Into Closed Texas Grocery Store to Use the Restroom
US announces all forces withdrawn from Iraq after 12-year anti-ISIS mission
Senate hopeful’s ‘treading water’ narrative crumbles under $500K campaign payouts to family
Woke NFL Asks DHS to Remove Hall of Fame Defender from Clip of Agency Vowing to Stop Migrant Caravan
Inside the neighborhood living on the edge of America’s tech frontier
Watch: Lindsay Clancy’s Defense Team Screams at Black Media Member While Entering Courthouse for Retrial Hearing
Liberal stronghold set to adopt eye-popping minimum wage amid business exodus
US faces another major Middle East troop withdrawal, but threat remains
Republicans worry they’ve ‘glossed over’ voters’ affordability concerns
John McGuire touts his Trump endorsement as safe red seat suddenly looks shakier
Ohio cancer patient sues hospital after surgeon allegedly amputated wrong leg
Utah man released after decades on death row as DNA evidence excludes him from 1985 killing
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
Florida judge rips into mom accused of leaving 4 children at home to go on 3-day cruise
Ole Miss students’ toxicology reports completed, official says
Watch: Desperate Jake Tapper Begs Ambassador to Plead His Case to Trump and Let CNN Back Into Press Pool, Gets Rejected Live on Air
Police: Man ‘Intentionally’ Drove Into Closed Texas Grocery Store to Use the Restroom
US announces all forces withdrawn from Iraq after 12-year anti-ISIS mission
Senate hopeful’s ‘treading water’ narrative crumbles under $500K campaign payouts to family
Woke NFL Asks DHS to Remove Hall of Fame Defender from Clip of Agency Vowing to Stop Migrant Caravan
Inside the neighborhood living on the edge of America’s tech frontier
Watch: Lindsay Clancy’s Defense Team Screams at Black Media Member While Entering Courthouse for Retrial Hearing
Liberal stronghold set to adopt eye-popping minimum wage amid business exodus
US faces another major Middle East troop withdrawal, but threat remains
Republicans worry they’ve ‘glossed over’ voters’ affordability concerns
John McGuire touts his Trump endorsement as safe red seat suddenly looks shakier
Ohio cancer patient sues hospital after surgeon allegedly amputated wrong leg
Utah man released after decades on death row as DNA evidence excludes him from 1985 killing
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.
