<p class="title">Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, emerged from more than two months of seclusion Monday, wearing a black face mask during a visit to lay a wreath on the day the United States honors its war dead.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden's last public appearance was March 15 when he faced off against his former Democratic rival Bernie Sanders for a debate in a television studio held with no live audience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It feels good to be out of my house," said the 77-year-old, who has remained in isolation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware in keeping with recommended measures to protect the elderly and prevent the spread of COVID-19.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the candidate, he and his wife have left their home only for occasional walks or bike rides since mid-March.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Thank you for your service," the former vice president said to a well-wisher after paying his respects at the Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden wore a mask covering his mouth and nose for the brief ceremony, in contrast with his rival for the US presidency, Donald Trump, who has yet to wear a mask in public.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden and his wife Jill placed a wreath of white flowers at the Delaware memorial park and observed a moment of silence during the brief ceremony before returning to their motorcade.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked by a reporter if he had a message for the country, Biden's reply was difficult to hear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Never forget the sacrifices that these men and women made. Never, ever, forget," he said through his face mask.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Trump and his wife Melania took part in a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery, before travelling to Fort McHenry in Baltimore where the president delivered a speech in honor of America's war dead -- and paid tribute to the military men and women who "raced into danger" in battling the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">COVID-19 restrictions created big obstacles for Biden's campaign, at a time when Trump enjoyed high visibility through near-daily White House pandemic briefings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden abruptly cancelled a rally in Ohio March 10, replacing it with a speech to a half empty hall in Philadelphia that evening, followed by a news conference at a Wilmington hotel March 12.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Although he has celebrated primary victories while in confinement, he has been forced to conduct his campaign online for more than two months from a television studio installed in his basement.</p>
<p class="title">Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, emerged from more than two months of seclusion Monday, wearing a black face mask during a visit to lay a wreath on the day the United States honors its war dead.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden's last public appearance was March 15 when he faced off against his former Democratic rival Bernie Sanders for a debate in a television studio held with no live audience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It feels good to be out of my house," said the 77-year-old, who has remained in isolation at his home in Wilmington, Delaware in keeping with recommended measures to protect the elderly and prevent the spread of COVID-19.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the candidate, he and his wife have left their home only for occasional walks or bike rides since mid-March.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Thank you for your service," the former vice president said to a well-wisher after paying his respects at the Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden wore a mask covering his mouth and nose for the brief ceremony, in contrast with his rival for the US presidency, Donald Trump, who has yet to wear a mask in public.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden and his wife Jill placed a wreath of white flowers at the Delaware memorial park and observed a moment of silence during the brief ceremony before returning to their motorcade.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked by a reporter if he had a message for the country, Biden's reply was difficult to hear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Never forget the sacrifices that these men and women made. Never, ever, forget," he said through his face mask.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Trump and his wife Melania took part in a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery, before travelling to Fort McHenry in Baltimore where the president delivered a speech in honor of America's war dead -- and paid tribute to the military men and women who "raced into danger" in battling the coronavirus pandemic.</p>.<p class="bodytext">COVID-19 restrictions created big obstacles for Biden's campaign, at a time when Trump enjoyed high visibility through near-daily White House pandemic briefings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Biden abruptly cancelled a rally in Ohio March 10, replacing it with a speech to a half empty hall in Philadelphia that evening, followed by a news conference at a Wilmington hotel March 12.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Although he has celebrated primary victories while in confinement, he has been forced to conduct his campaign online for more than two months from a television studio installed in his basement.</p>