The Atlantic

The End Days of the Democratic Primary

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s lo-fi address to the nation was an eerie reminder of where we find ourselves in this uncertain moment.
Source: Nam Y. Huh / AP

Nothing brought home the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic quite so clearly—or fuzzily—as the pixelated visage that appeared on American television screens to claim a series of Democratic primary victories tonight.

Former Vice President Joe Biden was speaking from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, but he might as well have been in a bunker. Biden’s campaign had set up a podium and a pair of American flags, but the man poised to face President Donald Trump as the Democratic nominee had seemingly been reduced to what

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic9 min read
Before Juneteenth
In a quiet corner of a library at Mississippi State University, you’ll find a slim red volume that tells the story of what may be America’s first Juneteenth. It took place in New Orleans in the summer of 1864 to celebrate the day of liberation for th
The Atlantic5 min read
The Eerie Silence Over Brexit
Bernie the spectacled bear is one of the star attractions at Chester Zoo in the north of England. He is also one of Brexit’s forgotten losers. Since Britain left the European Union, zoos have struggled to take part in breeding swaps designed to help
The Atlantic6 min read
Boston Should Rename Its Airport for Bill Russell
It’s a fun time to be a fan of the Boston Celtics. It is also a fraught time, given how polarizing the franchise—and the city—can be to everyone who doesn’t live there. I get it: No one wants to hear from us. New England sports teams have won entirel

Related Books & Audiobooks