A massive fundraising event for Joe Biden’s re-election campaign recently took place in New York City.
Alongside Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Biden raised roughly $26 million during a concert held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Race to The White House Well Underway
Despite former president Donald Trump’s legal battles and issues seeing his name on the voting docket in certain states, the battle for Commander in Chief remains tight.
The funds from the event will be used directly for Biden’s campaign efforts in an attempt to seal his fate as a two term president. Although the incumbent remains popular with his constituency, his team thinks that it’s time to raise a concerted fundraising effort.
Already Massive Campaign Funds Not Enough
Although the Biden team has massive amounts of cash on hand that can be used directly for campaign efforts, they’re still looking for more.
With an unmatched $155 million on hand, the team has more cash than any other Democratic candidate in history. The Trump team holds roughly $74 million in funds; just a step behind and still an impressive amount of money.
Why Campaign Funds Are Different
As explained by the BBC, the reason why election funds are separate from a candidate’s personal money is due to strict campaigning laws in the United States.
Any money raised by a political candidate for the specific purpose of campaigning needs to be used on that purpose. Similarly, while a candidate can add their own cash to the pot, it’s strictly forbidden for them to use any campaign funds on their personal lives. The money is kept in a separate account to keep all actions on the straight and narrow.
A Panel With Current and Past Presidents
During the concert, a panel with Biden, Obama, and Clinton will be moderated by Late Show host Stephen Colbert.
Roughly 5,000 people are planning on attending in person with thousands more will view the event online. Along with funny-man Colbert, Mindy Kaling will also help host the event in-between musical guests Lizzo, Queen Latifa, and Lea Michelle.
First Lady Will Also Be Helping With the Affair
First Lady Jill Biden will be hosting an after party for a select number of guests following the concert.
Roughly 500 VIP guests will attend a private get together with Dr. Biden. Hunter Biden and extended members of the family will also be in attendance.
Huge Costs for Tickets
Even the lower level of tickets will start at $225 for the event, with prices going as high as half a million to get closer to world leaders.
For a whopping $100,000, a guest can get a picture with Biden, Obama, and Clinton. To add to the star-studded affair, world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovits will be the one snapping the pictures.
New York Excited to Host the Concert
As Air Force One touched down in New York early on Thursday morning, the city swelled with excitement.
As usual, the presidential motorcade shut down multiple streets in Manhattan to chauffeur the current President. Residents of the city crowded the streets in anticipation of snapping a photo of Obama and Biden.
Biden’s Past Successful Fundraisers
In the past, Biden has drawn big crowds and even bigger funds at his campaign fundraisers.
Following his state of the union address in early March, the current president raised $10 million in a single day. The fundraising lead over former President Trump is expected to give Biden a huge boost in votes during the general election in November.
Trump Is Lagging Behind and Not Happy About It
Although Trump raised an impressive $20 million in February, he’s still well behind the Democratic incumbent.
Trump has also had to spend millions of dollars from his campaign funds to fight the many on-going legal cases against him. His focus will continue to be geared towards these issues well into the fall. These issues will likely cause him to miss out on beneficial campaigning opportunities.
Issues Biden Must Overcome to Win Over Voters
Although his age has been an issue with voters among many different demographics, he also faces some harsh criticisms that need to be addressed during the last few months of his campaign.
The president’s actions with inflation, the war in Gaza, immigration, and the economy are all important issues at the forefront for voters. People on the fence are hoping to see Biden make more concrete changes in these areas.
2024 Will be the Most Expensive Election Cycle to Date
When all is said and done, an expected $2.7 to $10 billion dollars will be spent on political ads and campaigns for the fight to the White House.
Massive spending on both sides makes this election cycle the most expensive race ever fought for Commander in Chief.
