Biden has proposed what he calls a Pandemic Testing Board, a national panel created by the president and Congress to “oversee a nationwide campaign to provide both diagnostic and antibody tests.” He did not say what level of testing he believed to be necessary before reopening could occur. Nor did he say whether he would have a single standard apply nationwide — to the hard-hit New York metropolitan area and also, say, to far less hard-hit Vermont and Montana. Nor did Biden define what level of safety he would require before recommending reopening.

What that means, in effect is this: Although Biden has remained quiet on what he would actually do as president in terms of the timing of reopening, he has suggested a position that could be used to justify delaying reopening virtually indefinitely. Indeed, there are some in the public debate who want to see the U.S. economy shut down for significantly longer than it already has been. Setting an unattainable goal for testing would be one way to ensure that the lockdown continues.

For all his pledges to do this or that, Biden has not clearly said when, if he were in charge, he would reopen parts of the economy. Where? What parts? How quickly? As a candidate and as a former official not currently in charge of anything, he doesn’t really have to say. It’s much easier to just accuse Trump of doing it all wrong.