At a major event in New York, President Joe Biden raised $25 million to fight his Republican rival, Donald Trump. “Biden, Obama and Clinton came out of the room with Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run' in the background, so you know what the atmosphere is,” says reporter Jan Postma.
Biden raised a record amount in New York, with Obama and Clinton taking the stage
It was a star-studded and glamorous evening, with not only the president and two former presidents, but also stars like Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt and Stephen Colbert. “This evening alone, $25 million was raised,” Postma says. I think that's a record for one evening. There were 5,000 supporters old and young at Radio City Music Hall, a beautiful and legendary hall in New York.
“They also wanted to show that there is enthusiasm for Biden and that the party really stands behind him.”
However, it was about more than just money, Postma says. “They also wanted to show that there is enthusiasm for Biden and that the party really stands behind him,” he added. In this way they emphasize the contrast with the Republicans. George W. Bush will never raise money for Trump. Former Vice President Mike Pence doesn't support it either. Democrats want to show they are doing things differently.
On the financial front, Biden outperforms Trump
It is clear that the Trump campaign is raising much less money than the Biden campaign. “For comparison: At the end of last month, Biden had $100 million in cash. Trump had less than half that, about 45 million. What Biden is raising now in one evening is more than Trump has raised in the entire month of February.
Republicans announced their own major fundraiser in Florida in April. They hope to raise $33 million in one day, a new record. “That still has to happen, of course,” Postma says. He notes that major Republican donors are somewhat cautious about donations, in part because they see a large portion of campaign money going to Trump's lawsuits.
Read also | “Trump's bubble as a rich man has burst.”
“Elitist Biden” versus popular Trump
The question is whether the lack of money will make a difference for Trump, who can count on very loyal supporters and doesn't always play by the rules anyway. For example, the former president went on the heels of the killing of a police officer during a Biden fundraiser. “This is mainly what the right-wing media is talking about now. This elitist Biden raises a lot of money, while Trump at least cares about crime and the cops.
Read also | Trump has yet to win over swing voters
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