How do you campaign in the coronavirus era? 

The shutdowns might benefit Biden since they have effectively shut down the primaries and are keeping him off the campaign trail. Shifting him over to prepared and taped speeches makes sense. But the Biden campaign’s plan to do “shadow” briefings on the coronavirus is bizarre and ridiculous.

Shadow governments make sense in a parliamentary system. But Joe Biden isn’t a government official. He’s not a legislator. He’s a candidate. And he has no power to do anything, just promise to do things one day. And that’s utterly useless during a crisis.

Imagine Dewey doing shadow briefings on winning the war.

It’s a surreal scam with ghoulish overtones that has no place during a national emergency. Biden can go on campaigning, but there should be clear distinctions between political candidates and actual government officials. When you start trying to brand your campaign as a shadow government while offering briefings, that blurs the line and confuses people. And that’s the last thing you need in a crisis.