Biden Plans Celebrity-Filled Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton, Aims to Raise $25 Million
US President Joe Biden’s presidential election campaign is expected to raise $25m (£19.7m) through a star-studded event featuring more than three decades of Democratic leadership.
The campaign team claims this figure sets a record.
Former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton will join Mr Biden at the Radio City Music Hall in New York for a rare joint appearance aimed at securing the president a second term in the White House.
Biden and Vice-President Kamila Harris have already raised more funds than their Republican opponent, former president Donald Trump, 77, for the November election.
The event, expected to attract thousands, offers various tiers of access based on donation amount. The cheapest ticket is $225 (£178).
The main event will feature a conversation with the three presidents, moderated by late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert.
A lineup of musical performers, including Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, and Lea Michele, will be hosted by actress Mindy Kaling.
Donors can contribute more for intimate time with the presidents, with a photograph with all three priced at $100,000 (£79,159).
Donations of $250,000 (£197,895) or $500,000 (£395,860) offer access to exclusive receptions.
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“This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice-President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine we’ve built,” said campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Additionally, First Lady Jill Biden and DJ D-Nice will host an after-party with 500 guests.
“This will be the largest fundraising event in Joe Biden’s political career,” said Chris Korge, a veteran Democratic fundraiser who was the national finance chair for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016. “I believe it’s the largest fundraising event in Democratic Party history and the only time that three Democratic presidents have fundraised together,” he added in an interview with NBC.
However, Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, downplayed the fundraiser’s significance, stating, “Crooked Joe is so mentally deficient that he needs to trot out some retreads like Clinton and Obama.”
