Biden’s closest allies tell wealthy donors he IS ready to campaign at 80
Will Biden find it difficult to get wealthy friends to give him money? The closest allies have to convince the wealthy that he is NOT too old to run and has “power” – so how far will the multi-billionaires reach in their pockets?
- Biden announced his campaign last week and will hold his first backer next week
- Former Chief of Staff Ron Klain spoke to donors about his strength and schedule
- Biden spoke with donors on Friday but has yet to hold a campaign event
One of President Joe Biden’s closest advisers is vouching for backers on his ability to throw himself into this fourth presidential campaign at age 80 — as Biden plans his first major fundraiser for next week in New York.
The reassurance for high net worth lenders came as the president’s re-election campaign got off to a slow start since the announcement last week, at least in terms of public events.
Biden officially announced his re-election campaign last Tuesday with a video featuring footage of the January 6th Capitol riot, sparking a fight for freedom and for the “soul of America.” One of his campaign co-chairs insists he will not linger in the basement and run a brisk campaign.
Biden attended his first in-person donor meeting on Friday, but has yet to host a campaign event on the road — with a big fundraiser set for next week in New York.
At a weekend retreat for donors, White House officials faced restrictions on what they could say based on campaign finance laws.
President Joe Biden heads to New York next week for his first major fundraising campaign since announcing his reelection last Tuesday. A former top assistant is responsible for his decisiveness
Campaign leader Julie Chávez Rodríguez has yet to start her job, even though she is on the White House payroll. Former Chief of Staff Ron Klain made a pitch himself,
Klain spoke to donors about Biden’s decisiveness, reported Axios, citing early morning meetings with the president and late-night phone calls. That followed an earlier report from the publication that Biden had held just four fundraisers so far this year, 12 events after 6 p.m., while enjoying 12 full weekends. (The White House says Biden works wherever he travels.)
It remains to be seen whether Biden will be able to tap the same collection of bundlers that helped him bring in a record $1 billion in 2020. His campaign has yet to reveal information on how much it has raised since the highly anticipated announcement.
His team is aided by Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, who attended Friday’s event at the Salamander hotel on DC’s Wharf.
Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg serves as co-chair of the Biden campaign
“This is what it comes down to. It’s very simple: we need you. Our democracy needs you because it’s about our freedoms,” Biden said told donors.
He has yet to campaign, not even to the public, and kept a light schedule this week. (On Wednesday, his schedule stated he would have the daily briefing, lunch with VP Kamala Harris, and host a dinner for combatant commanders.
Biden will court big money donors for the first time since announcing his campaign on May 10 at an event in New York City, where tickets at the home of former Blackstone exec Hamilton “Tony” James go for $25,000.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will be there, That reports CNBC.
The president has scheduled a second event at the Upper East Side, home of Greek shipping magnate George Logothetis, who also helped raise money for President Barack Obama.
The low-key campaign launch may be partly by design. Campaign co-chair Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) told DailyMail.com last week, “I expect him to do a lot as president. I think so too, the best way to run for re-election was to show what you can do as president.’