US President Joe Biden Fundraising Event in New York
US President Joe Biden was joined in New York on Thursday by his predecessors Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at a blockbuster fundraising event where he collected $25 million to go towards his reelection bid.
Event Details
- Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024
- Location: Radio City Music Hall, New York City
The Democrat’s bumper evening took place at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, around an hour’s drive from where his Republican rival Donald Trump had earlier attended a wake for a New York police officer killed on duty.
As Biden raked in financial support ahead of November’s election, pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested outside the venue — and several inside the hall whistled and shouted before being driven away.
Celebrity Attendance
Thursday’s event had a celebrity tinge. Singers Queen Latifah and Lizzo, among others, warmed up the room before the 42nd, 44th and 46th presidents of the United States sat down for a question-and-answer session moderated by comedian Stephen Colbert. Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour was also in attendance.
Highlights of the Event
The discussion mixed serious topics with jokes, and ended when Obama and Clinton joined Biden in donning aviator sunglasses, Biden’s favorite accessory.
Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, had criticized the event on social media, calling it a “glitzy fundraiser… with their elitist, out-of-touch celebrity benefactors.”
Earlier in the day, Trump made a statement after attending the wake of police officer Jonathan Diller, who was shot and killed on Monday during a traffic stop.
The White House said Biden had called New York Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday to offer his condolences over Diller’s killing.
Biden and Trump, who faced off at the ballot box in 2020, are guaranteed to win their respective parties’ nominations for the November presidential election this summer.