After Biden Raises $25 Million At NYC Fundraiser, Democrats Press Their Financial Advantage

President Joe Biden raised more than $25 million during a New York event last week with former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

More than 5,000 people attended the iconic Radio City Music Hall event, with guests paying between $225 to $500,000. The successful fundraising effort comes as Biden’s reelection campaign seeks to gain a financial advantage in the race against former president Donald Trump.

The highest-paying donors at the event were given perks such as a photo with the three presidents, taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz. 

Hollywood mogul and Biden campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg described the night as “a true reflection of the momentum” behind Biden’s presidential bid.

“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,” Katzenberg said in a statement. “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.”

Queen Latifah, Lizzo, and Ben Platt were among the attendees. Mindy Kaling hosted the event, joking that it was nice to be in a room “with so many rich people.” Stephen Colbert moderated a conversation between all of the presidents.

Following Biden, Obama and Clinton’s entrance, pro-Palestinian protestors began shouting. A large crowd of demonstrators gathered outside of the venue to express their disagreement with Biden’s handling of the conflict in the Middle East.

In addition to the 5,000 event-goers, thousands of donors watched online.

The event is expected to widen Biden’s already-sizable financial advantage heading toward November.

Article by Ava Lombardi