President Biden Concludes Vigorous Fundraising Drive With Bold Early Goals

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President Joe Biden has been intensely engaging with high-end donors at luxurious New York penthouses in the Upper East Side and picturesque West Coast patios over recent weeks. This Thursday marks the culmination of an intense end-of-quarter fundraising drive, which his team is confident will provide a strong financial platform for the anticipated record-setting expenditure of the 2024 presidential race.

The two upcoming Manhattan events will be the ninth and tenth fundraising receptions Biden has attended in just the past fortnight. This number is matched by Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. While the Biden campaign has remained tight-lipped about the amounts raised at these lively functions before the July 15 reporting date, they exude confidence about the scale.

Moreover, President Biden is mobilizing the full force of the Democratic Party to raise funds. He’s enlisted prominent figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and former President Barack Obama, among others, to contribute to these efforts.

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A new campaign video featuring Obama is designed to spur small-dollar online donations before Friday’s donation deadline. Despite polls suggesting a lag in enthusiasm among the Democratic base for the 80-year-old president, Biden’s allies firmly believe his party is in full support.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, Hollywood magnate, major Democratic donor, and Biden campaign co-chair, noted, “I’ve never seen the Democratic establishment galvanized like this, from President Obama to governors, senators, and congressmen — the support for Biden is truly exceptional.”

Katzenberg further noted that Biden’s busy schedule due to official duties, including foreign trips in April and May, and the weeks-long negotiation over raising the nation’s debt limit in Washington, necessitated the recent fundraising flurry. Biden’s upcoming European trip next month has further condensed the timeframe for fundraising activities before the traditionally slow summer season.

Despite the first quarter commonly being viewed as a benchmark of campaign strength, Katzenberg expressed that there’s “no urgency right now” for Biden to amass or expend significant sums due to the lack of a credible primary threat and the election still being 16 months away. Regardless, Biden intends to make a powerful statement with the early totals.

The Biden campaign has conveyed a positive outlook for comfortably surpassing its 2020 fundraising levels, driven by strong numbers of first-time donors.

The president’s fundraising events, shielded from the public eye with limited media access, tend to showcase a more relaxed and spontaneous Biden. He often uses these venues to trial new campaign strategies or share more frank commentary than he does at formal events.

During these events, Biden often candidly criticizes his potential 2024 Republican opponents, something his aides typically avoid.

Despite occasionally straying from script, Biden’s speeches are replete with anecdotes from his extensive career in public service and key Democratic issues. In more private settings, he’s able to express his personal views on topics like abortion.

At a recent fundraiser, Biden’s remark about Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator” stirred diplomatic tensions. Despite the fallout, Biden affirmed that the comment would not impair the relationship between the two nations.

Throughout the San Francisco area, his fundraisers underscore his belief that the U.S. economy disproportionately benefits the wealthy, a sentiment echoed by Governor Newsom at one such event.

Even as he delves into global issues like climate change, Chinese relations, and democracy, Biden remains connected to his working-class roots.

Unlike during his vice presidency under Obama, the Biden campaign has not disclosed the total amount raised at each individual event. This information will be revealed when the campaign submits its filing to the Federal Election Commission in July, said campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz.

“We’re encouraged by the robust response from donors and grassroots supporters, including a notable number of new donors since 2020,” he stated.

Contributors Seung Min Kim and Josh Boak of Big Big News assisted with this report.

This story has been revised to accurately identify shipping magnate George Logothetis as a Greek American, not Greek.

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