President Joe Biden is teaming up with two of his Democratic predecessors, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, to boost enthusiasm for his reelection campaign at a star-studded dinner in New York City on Thursday night.
The campaign projects that the evening will raise more than $25 million, a “historic” amount for a single event. Biden’s campaign manager will hold a virtual pre-program with Biden, Obama, and Clinton.
Mindy Kaling will then emcee the show inside Radio City Music Hall, with musical guests Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, and Lea Michele. They will appear in front of a sold-out audience of 5,000 people. The campaign sent fundraising emails to supporters, providing a link to watch virtually in exchange for a payment.
First Lady Jill Biden is set to start off the evening of entertainment, which will culminate in the main event: an armchair conversation with Biden, Obama, and Clinton chaired by late-night comic Stephen Colbert.
Tickets to the event ranged from $225 to $500,000. It has the potential to be the most lucrative event in Democratic history.
“Democrats are unified and energized behind President Biden’s reelection campaign, and that will be on full display this Thursday in New York City,” Biden-Harris spokesman Kevin Munoz stated. Munoz, in contrast, accused Donald Trump of lacking money and energy and facing hurdles such as hesitancy from certain GOP primary voters and criticism from his former vice president, Mike Pence.
The fundraiser is part of the campaign’s significant effort to raise a large sum of money before the Federal Election Commission’s end-of-month deadline in order to demonstrate the president’s financial power. The campaign reported that it and the Democratic National Committee, along with its joint fundraising organizations, raised $53 million in February.
Biden and Obama were spotted arriving in New York City together on Thursday afternoon, hours before the event, which comes as Biden continues to face protesters when campaigning for his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with at least 14 disruptions at a Virginia theater rally in January.
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, co-chaired the Thursday luncheon alongside movie mogul and Biden campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg, campaign finance chair Rufus Gifford, and Biden Victory Fund finance chair Chris Korge, according to the campaign.
Annie Leibovitz, the acclaimed photographer, will snap portraits of selected visitors with the three presidents. There will also be a virtual conversation with the three presidents and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez before the first lady hosts an after-party with DJ D-Nice.
The star-studded evening comes as Biden steps up his campaign for the general election, which is just seven months away. Since his State of the Union speech, Biden has traveled across the country to visit battleground states in what the campaign refers to as a “month of action.”
During a visit to the White House last week, Obama and Biden recorded films honoring the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act as well as future fundraising efforts. The former president has appeared in two of the campaign’s digital advertisements this cycle, with more recorded and ready to air soon, according to the campaign.
The former president, who remains popular among the Democratic base, has already proven to be a valuable asset.
The campaign reports that grassroots fundraising materials signed by or featuring Obama have raised more than $15.4 million for Biden’s reelection this cycle, with a “Meet the Presidents” event featuring Obama and Biden raising nearly $3 million in December alone.
The Thursday fundraiser is Biden and Obama’s first joint public campaign engagement. In the run-up to November, we anticipate the former president attending big fundraising events and traveling around the country in support of Biden.
“Given the importance of this election, President Obama will do everything he can to support President Biden’s reelection,” Obama senior adviser Eric Schultz said. “In fact, he looks forward to assisting Democrats up and down the ballot in making their case to voters this fall. “Our strategy will be focused on making an effect, particularly where and when his voice may help shift the needle.”
Meanwhile, Trump is also fundraising for the occasion, sending multiple emails with the subject line “Obama is back!” while the Biden event was being organized.
“I have something better,” he stated during a pitch last month. “I HAVE YOU AND MILLIONS OF PATRIOTIC AMERICANS WHO WANT TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Katzenberg described Thursday’s gathering as 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—ccommunicating the president’s historic record, his vision for the future, and laying out the stakes of this election,” the statement went on to say. “The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to reelect the Biden-Harris ticket.”
