FORMER vice-president Joe Biden will “tell the truth and trust science” if he is elected to the White House in November, former first lady Michelle Obama said yesterday as Democrats kicked off their now-virtual convention.

With the Democratic party poised to officially anoint the 77-year-old Biden as its presidential candidate, President Donald Trump defied coronavirus concerns and staged competing events in Wisconsin and neighbouring Minnesota.

Michelle Obama was given the primetime slot on the opening night of the Democratic convention, which was to have been held over four days in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but which is now taking place almost entirely online because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

In excerpts of her remarks released ahead of her taped speech, Michelle Obama said Biden was a “terrific vice-president” during the eight years he served as her husband Barack Obama’s number two.

“I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith,” she said.

“He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country,” she said.

“He will tell the truth and trust science,” she said in a jab at Trump, who has been accused of repeatedly ignoring the advice of his scientific advisers on how to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic.

“He will make smart plans and manage a good team,” Obama said. “And he will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognise.”

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who challenged Biden for the nomination from the progressive left, was also scheduled to address the convention, which is being live-streamed.

“This election is the most important in the modern history of this country,” Sanders said in remarks released ahead of his appearance.

“The future of our democracy is at stake,” he said. “The future of our planet is at stake.

“We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice-president,” Sanders said.

“My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine.”

Trump flew on Air Force One to Mankato, Minnesota, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and delivered remarks to supporters gathered on the airport tarmac.

Speaking in Oshkosh, Trump accused Biden and his running mate Harris of seeking to enact “crazy socialist policies”.

“This is the most dangerous election we’ve ever had,” Trump said. “It’ll be another Venezuela. This will be a very large-scale Venezuela if they win.”

“The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged,” he said.

The Democratic convention is taking place amid a furore over Trump’s own efforts to limit mail-in voting. – AFP, August 18, 2020.