There is still an air of discretion around who all formed part of the audience at a recently held high-profile fundraiser in NYC. This glamorous affair featured none other than incumbent President Biden, alongside past presidents Clinton and Obama. While the fundraising eventwith these presidential figures was by any measure a success, with campaign funds to the tune of 26 million dollars being amassed, the complete attendee list is as of now, under wraps.
The gathering labelled as ‘An Evening with President Biden and Presidents Obama and Clinton’, was hosted at the venerable Radio City Music Hall, according to sources within the Biden campaign. The campaign officials also confirm that tickets were quickly sold out, alluding to the presence of over 5,000 attendees. The attendee roster was a diverse one, with grassroots patrons rubbing shoulders with some of the campaign’s biggest contributors.
According to a key advisor within the Biden campaign, amongst those attending were a few donors whose identity was revealed by New York magazine. A request by Fox News Digital for the full list of donors was, however, declined by the campaign representative. It should be noted that the event was not hidden away from media scrutiny, and was open for press coverage.
It’s interesting to note that while the aforementioned fundraiser was underway, ex-President Trump was mourning the loss of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller who died in the line of duty. A campaign authorities affirmed that the donor list isn’t typically disclosed, in line with their general guidelines and practices.
First Lady Jill Biden played host and introduced the main agenda of the evening while notable personalities such as the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York, delivered speeches. The essence of the Biden speech that evening was a moment of change observing ‘We’re at a real inflection point in history, because things are changing’, before he moved onto the topic of his predecessor.
‘This guy denies there’s global warming. This guy wants to get rid of not only Roe v. Wade, but he — which he brags about having done — he wants to get rid of the ability of anyone anywhere in America to ever choose. I mean, all the things he’s doing are so old — speaking of old,’ he lightly joked, alluding to Trump. Interestingly, the two events held in New York provoked lively discussion on social media with both events being quickly contrasted against each other.
Taking to social media, the RNC showcased the contrasting nature of both the events through headlines from that day. A post shared by them read, ‘Today in New York, President Trump visits with a grieving family. Joe Biden parties.’ This dichotomy showcasing the stark difference in their activities that day sparked a wave of online commentary.
Congressman Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana, took note of both candidate’s itineraries that day. In his remarks, he highlighted how Biden’s choice to attend a large-scale fundraiser rather than the funeral of a fallen NYPD officer painted a stark picture of the two potential 2024 competitors’ values.
Senator JD Vance from Ohio, also weighed in with his thoughts. According to him, Biden’s attendance at a high profile fundraiser rather than paying respects to a fallen officer represented prioritizing criminals over victims, a sentiment echoed by several others. He contrasted this stance with that of Trump, who he suggested offered an alternate way forward on this issue.
In viewing this occasion, Republican strategist Doug Kochel termed Trump’s approach as an astute move, indicative of Experience and politically savvy leadership. He acknowledged Trump’s ability to steer through potentially fraught situations, bringing his unique touch to these moments, despite his sometimes unpredictable candor.
Even seasoned Democratic strategist and former senior adviser to Obama, David Axelrod, conceded that the optics of the two events were not favorable for Biden. He seemed to infer that the perception of Biden’s actions could potentially have been better handled that day.
On the other hand, Democratic strategist Max Burns found Trump’s contrast exploitative and predictable. He further suggested that this served as an attempt to divert attention from President Biden’s highly successful fundraising endeavor, an achievement he suggests would be hard for Trump to replicate.
Both Obama and Clinton, co-hosts at the fundraiser, did not furnish comments to Fox News Digital when approached. It’s worth noting, though, that the event was successful in its primary goal of boosting the campaign coffer.
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