In a rare event, three Democratic presidents, including current President Joe Biden, convened in New York with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama for a campaign event to showcase support for the sitting president and raise funds. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama participated in New York to fundraise for President Biden's campaign. Biden's campaign states that the fundraising gala hosted by Radio City on Thursday evening, featuring former presidents Obama and Clinton, is expected to raise over $25 million. They claim it is "the most successful political fundraising campaign in American history," adding that Biden has a strong cash advantage over former President Trump.
**Show of Force**
Biden's camp aims to leverage the show of strength from heavyweight Democrats to build momentum as polling numbers begin to show signs of recovery. Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-chair of the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, stated in a release: "This historic increase is a demonstration of the strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we have built." The headline event attracted over 5,000 supporters and featured musical guests such as Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, and Lea Michele. It will also include a "Chair Conversation" hosted by Stephen Colbert with Biden, Obama, and Clinton.
**$155 Million Raised**
Biden's campaign and the Democratic National Committee report that they ended February with $155 million, which is more than double the cash available to Trump and the Republican National Committee, at $44.8 million, according to campaign finance reports. Biden's campaign is increasingly drawing attention to the financial distress Trump is facing as he struggles with four criminal indictments.
In contrast, Donald Trump visited New York to express condolences for the death of a police officer on the streets of New York, a move Trump sees as beneficial in demonstrating his support for law enforcement. Trump attended the funeral of officer Diller on Thursday afternoon and offered condolences to the officer's family. His campaign spokesperson, Caroline Levitt, stated: "President Trump was moved by the call to join the family of New York Police Officer Jonathan Diller and his colleagues as they cope with his senseless and tragic death."
