By COLLEEN LONG and WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Just after his biggest fundraiser ever, which had former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, President Joe Biden announced on Friday that the high-dollar event indicates “that we are united” in ways Republicans cannot achieve.
The Biden campaign said it raised a record $26 million from the sold-out gathering at Radio City Music Hall, which also featured late-night host Stephen Colbert as the moderator for the presidential trio. Biden stayed in New York for the night, then spoke to a separate audience of about 200 of his biggest donors and fundraisers from in and around the city.
“Because of you, I can confidently say that we've raised more money than any previous Democratic campaign in history,” Biden stated. His reelection bid had already amassed $155 million in cash by the end of February, before factoring in Thursday night’s total.
“Some of us have been at this for a year or two. I don’t recall an event like last night,” Biden said of himself and the former presidents. He also expressed, “I’m the president but as I looked out there, wow.”
Biden mentioned that “last night showed the skeptics, it showed the press, it showed everyone that we are united.” He aims to create a clear contrast with former President Donald Trump, who is currently trying to regain the White House but has been rejected by his only living Republican predecessor, President George W. Bush.
Even Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence, declares he’s not willing to endorse his former boss. Trump and his Save American political action committee report having only $37 million in cash through February.
However, there were instances of discord on Thursday night, as the event was disrupted by protesters opposing the Biden administration’s backing of Israel in its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Larger groups of similar demonstrators gathered outside the venue.
Trump has also demonstrated strength in some early polls in crucial swing states, and Biden even admitted this in his Friday remarks to donors. The president predicted that he would see improvement in key areas in the weeks following his State of the Union address and noted that he’d visited every major battleground state in recent weeks, praising “our grassroots organization.”
Biden also aimed to capitalize on Trump and other top Republicans’ frequent question of whether the country is better off now than four years ago, a time when the coronavirus pandemic was still in its early stages and large parts of the global economy were shutting down.
“Well, Donald, I’m glad you asked the question,” Biden said, pointing out that his administration had helped control the pandemic while maintaining a strong economy and low unemployment.
“I have a different focus,” Biden said, mentioning a new question he wants voters to consider, “Will we be better off four years from now?”
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Weissert reported from Washington.
