Joe Biden on quarantine, Donald Trump, running mates and more with Jimmy Kimmel

Former Vice President Joe Biden connected with Jimmy Kimmel to provide an update on his campaign for president.

Given what is going on with the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s hard to concentrate on any other story. That includes the 2020 election which would otherwise be dominating the headlines and put candidates all over our screens. To remind the nation, Jimmy Kimmel checked in with a quarantined Joe Biden on Thursday night.

Biden is the Democratic frontrunner after a string of primary wins put him ahead of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. But now Sanders is occupied trying to get a novel coronavirus relief bill passed and Biden is confined to his home.

No matter who wins the Democratic nomination, his Republican opponent President Donald Trump will be grilled over the handling of the pandemic. Late night hosts and politicians alike have heavily criticized the Trump White House’s handling of the crisis from the start.

The subject was a major part of the interview between Biden and Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday. Biden also discussed how he’s running his campaign from home and more:

Politicians, and more specifically presidential candidates, appearing on late night television shows is nothing new. Who can forget then-candidate Donald Trump’s appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon or Saturday Night Live? Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders have already made a number of talk show visits this campaign and likely had more planned before social distancing took hold in the country.

But now the new normal is conducting every meeting through video chats. Biden gets to talk with Kimmel from the comfort of his at-home campaign headquarters. At least Biden is following the recommendations of experts and by doing so differentiating himself from his GOP opponent.

On President Trump, Biden seems to be just as confused as many others about why the response was so slow. If the Mueller report and impeachment weren’t going to be a strong enough point of attack for the Democratic nominee, the novel coronavirus response will certainly come back to bite President Trump. In Kimmel’s interview, Biden makes it obvious it will be an important talking point moving forward.

Plenty has been made about Biden’s public appearances and gaffes. They have been fodder for late night shows and especially for his political opponents. His interview with Kimmel does have moments where he trails off or can’t seem to find the words. However, that could come from the despair he feels about the current situation. But like everything, people will see it however they want to see it. We should just be glad that Biden is still looking for a way to speak to voters.

Jimmy Kimmel’s at-home “minilogue” shows have all been to benefit different charities. Joe Biden selected the International Foundation of Fire Fighters.  For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.