Former Presidents Obama and Clinton and some big names from the world of entertainment teamed up Thursday night to give a rousing embrace in New York for President Biden, who received a record $25 million for his re-election campaign.
The mood in Radio City Music Hall was tense as Obama praised Biden's willingness to search for common ground and said: “This is the kind of president I want.” “Stick with what works,” Clinton said simply of the choices facing voters in 2024.
Biden went directly to Donald Trump, saying that his expected Republican rival's ideas were “a little old and unsound.”
In a conversation with the trio, moderator Stephen Colbert described them as “heroic speakers” and jokingly noted that the three presidents came to town “and none of them showed up to appear in court,” in reference to Trump's many legal problems. .
The stunning fundraising operation was a major show of Democratic support for Biden at a time when his poll numbers are continuing to decline. The president will test the strength of his campaign funds when he faces Trump, who proved with his 2016 victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton that he did not need to raise as much money as possible to win.
During the nearly hour-long conversation, Obama and Clinton made clear how difficult Biden's task would be. They spoke of feeling alone and frustrated by policies that worked but were not immediately felt by the public. They offered an insider's view of the office as they sought to explain why Biden is the best fit for the job.
“It's a lonely seat,” said Obama, who had taken a flight to New York on Air Force One with Biden.
The conversation was both sarcastic and serious, and ended with the three wearing sunglasses in the mostly dark music hall, a reference to the Ray-Ban sunglasses that Biden often wears.
The sold-out Radio City Music Hall event was a gilded exclamation point on the recent spate of campaign travel for Biden, who has visited several political battlegrounds in the three weeks since his State of the Union address, which supporters viewed as a rallying cry for his re-election. Thursday's event also brought together more than three decades of Democratic leadership.
The music hall's marquee advertised the big-dollar night as “An Evening with Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton.” NYPD officers lined the surrounding streets as part of a heavy security presence.
Protesters angry at Biden's handling of the war in Gaza and strong support for Israel briefly disrupted the parade, prompting Biden to pledge to continue working to stop the killing of civilians, especially children. But he added, “Israel's existence is at stake.” Hundreds of others protested outside in the pouring rain, many demanding a ceasefire and waving Palestinian flags.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D.N.Y.) was first to warm up the crowd of about 5,000 supporters. Artists also lined up to defend Biden. Lizzo performed her hit song “About Damn Time,” and CEO Mindy Kaling joked that it was nice to be in a room with “a lot of rich people,” adding that she liked that they were supporting a president who publicly promises to “raise your money.” “Taxes.”
Obama presented the audience with a choice, saying, “At the end of the day, you have to choose who sees you and who cares about you. I'm pretty sure the other guy doesn't.”
At some point, Colbert said he suspected some Americans had forgotten some of the more troubling aspects of Trump's presidency, including January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Results .
Biden said concerns about the riots have reverberated beyond the United States, where foreign leaders have questioned the stability of American democracy. He said that this democracy is still fragile.
The fundraiser had different levels of reach depending on the size of the donation. Other participating celebrities include Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele. Tickets started at $225.
Donors can pay more for more intimate time with presidents. The photo with the three was worth $100,000. A $250,000 donation gave donors access to one reception, and $500,000 helped them participate in a more exclusive gathering. First Lady Jill Biden and DJ D-Nice hosted a party at the music hall attended by 500 guests, the campaign said.
Obama and Clinton were helping Biden expand his already significant monetary advantage over Trump. Biden had $155 million in cash as of the end of February, compared to $37 million for Trump and his Save America political action committee.
The $25 million figure for the New York City event includes money from supporters who handed over cash in the weeks leading up to the fundraiser for a chance to attend. This event alone raised $5 million more than Trump did during February.
“This historic increase is a demonstration of the powerful enthusiasm of President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we have built,” said movie mogul and campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg. “Unlike our opponent, every dollar we raise will reach the voters who will decide this election — conveying the president’s historical record, his vision for the future, and explaining the stakes of this election.”
The Trump campaign expects to raise $33 million at a major fundraiser next week in Palm Beach, Florida, according to a person familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm the figure first reported by the Financial Times.
Trump has kept a low profile in recent weeks, in part due to courtroom appearances in various legal cases, bills he is paying for with money from donors. His next political rallies are scheduled for Tuesday in Michigan and Wisconsin. Some Republican leaders have expressed concern that his campaign does not have the infrastructure ready to fight the general election battle with Biden.
Trump was in the New York area on Thursday to attend the Long Island funeral of a New York City police officer who was shot during a traffic stop in Queens.
Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley tried to portray the candidates' whereabouts on Thursday as evidence of “inconsistency in leadership.”
“On the same day that President Trump attended the funeral of slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, Joe Biden wined and dined celebrities at a fundraiser with Barack Obama and Bill Clinton,” he said in a statement.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said statistics show that violent crimes rose during Trump's term while the Biden administration “did exactly the opposite, taking decisive action from the beginning to fund the police and achieve a historic decline in crime.”
The setting was an unusual opportunity for the two former presidents to speak frankly about how they would do the job, which helped explain Biden and his presidency.
As the three men concluded the night wearing Biden's trademark sunglasses, the president joked: “Dark Brandon is real,” referring to a meme showing Biden using lasers for eyes.
Long and Megerian write for The Associated Press and report from New York and Washington, respectively. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in New York and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
