Joe Biden and his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, headlined a star-studded fundraiser with Bill Clinton on Thursday that organizers said raised more than $25m for the US president’s re-election campaign.
Such a haul, which Politico called an “NYC money bomb”, will widen Biden’s lead over Donald Trump in fundraising for the November election.
Amid improving polling for Biden, the two presidential campaigns recently posted February fundraising figures. Federal filings showed Biden nearly $40m up in cash raised, leading the president’s campaign to taunt their rival as “Broke Don”.
On Thursday, a Trump campaign adviser said the candidate won’t be able to match Biden’s totals, blaming the disparity on the Democrat’s “billionaire” supporters and painting a picture of a Trump campaign as being fueled by grassroots, working-class supporters.
Obama hitched a ride from Washington to New York aboard Air Force One with Biden. They waved as they descended the plane’s steps at John F Kennedy International airport and got into the motorcade for the ride into midtown Manhattan.
The marquee at Radio City Music Hall in midtown Manhattan was lit up and read: “An Evening with Joe Biden Barack Obama Bill Clinton”. NYPD officers lined surrounding streets as part of a heavy security presence for the event.
The Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, was up first to warm up the sold-out crowd of about 5,000 supporters. Entertainers, too, had their time on stage. Lizzo belted out her hit About Damn Time and emcee Mindy Kaling joked that it was nice to be in a room with “so many rich people”, adding that she loved that they were supporting a president who “openly” promises to “raise your taxes”.
The hours-long fundraiser had different tiers of access depending on a donor’s generosity. The centerpiece was an onstage conversation with the three presidents, moderated by the late-night talkshow host Stephen Colbert. Other celebrities included Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele. Tickets sold for as low as $225.
The fundraiser was punctuated by protests inside the auditorium, as attendees rose at several different moments to shout over the discussion, referencing Biden’s backing of Israel’s war in Gaza.
“Shame on you, Joe Biden” one yelled, according to Reuters.
Obama said Biden had “moral clarity” on the Israel issue and was willing to listen to all sides in this debate and find common ground.
When a protester inside the theater interrupted Obama, the former president snapped back: “You can’t just talk and not listen …That’s what the other side does”
On the money raised during the event, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul turned Biden campaign co-chair, said: “This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and vice-president [Kamala] Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built.
“Unlike our opponent, every dollar we’re raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election – communicating the president’s historic record, his vision for the future and laying plain the stakes of this election. The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to re-elect the Biden-Harris ticket.”
Katzenberg’s reference to fundraising meant to “reach the voters” was a barb aimed at Trump. The Republican’s unprecedented legal jeopardy – he faces 88 criminal charges and multimillion-dollar civil penalties – has contributed to controversy over whether campaign donations should be used to pay his legal bills.
Trump has appealed to supporters for help. His political operation has been shown to be paying lawyers’ bills. Amid Trump’s takeover of the Republican National Committee, achieved by installing his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as co-chair, attempts have been made to stop it contributing to his legal costs.
Trump has been widely criticised for failing to mount many campaign events. On Thursday, seeking to boost his hardline law-and-order message, he will attend a wake for a New York police officer killed in the line of duty.
Announcing its event with Obama and Clinton, the Biden campaign sought to emphasise the contrast between the president’s strong fundraising and Trump’s struggles.
“In contrast to Trump’s cash-strapped campaign,” a statement said, “tonight alone Team Biden-Harris will raise $5m more than the Trump campaign raised in all of February; nearly double what the Trump campaign raised in all of January; more than what the Trump campaign raised in December and January combined; more than double what the RNC has cash on hand – and more than the RNC has raised all year; nearly 60% of what the Trump campaign has cash on hand.”
