Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and some showbiz celebrities joined forces Thursday night to provide President Joe Biden with a rousing endorsement in New York that raised a record more than $26 million for his re-election campaign.
The atmosphere at Radio City Music Hall was electric after Obama praised Biden’s willingness to seek common ground and said, “That’s the kind of president I want.” Regarding the options voters have in 2024, Clinton said simply: “Stick with what works.”
Biden himself went directly after Donald Trump, saying the ideas of his expected Republican rival were “a little outdated and out of shape.”
Moderator Stephen Colbert, in an armchair conversation with the trio, called them “champions of oratory” and joked that all three presidents had come to town “and none of them are here to appear in court,” in a critique to Trump’s many problems with justice.
The surprising fundraising was a strong show of Democratic support for Biden at a time when his poll standing is persistently low. The president will test the power of the money raised by his campaign as he takes on Trump, who demonstrated with his victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016 that he did not need to raise the most money to win the presidency.
During the nearly hour-long conversation, Obama and Clinton explained how difficult Biden’s job is. They spoke of loneliness and frustration regarding policies that do work but whose effects the public does not immediately perceive. They provided insight into the job from someone who already held it as they sought to explain why Biden was the best choice for the presidency.
“It’s a lonely chair,” said Obama, who traveled to New York on Air Force One with Biden.
The conversation was alternately humorous and serious, and concluded with the three putting on sunglasses in the largely dark concert hall, an allusion to the Ray-Ban glasses Biden often wears.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was the first to rally the crowd of about 5,000 supporters. Some entertainment celebrities also showed up to endorse Biden. Lizzo sang her hit “About Damn Time,” and host Mindy Kaling joked that it was nice to be in a room with “so many rich people,” while adding that she loved that they were supporting a president who openly promises to “raise their taxes”.
Other celebrities who participated included Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele. The cheapest tickets were $225.
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