Hollywood helps Biden counter Trump's fundraising surge

President Joe Biden is hoping the sequel lives up to the original when it comes to his campaign's blockbuster Hollywood fundraising, starring former President Barack Obama, George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

A similarly high-profile event in New York in March, also attended by former President Bill Clinton, helped Biden raise a record $26 million. But since then, former President Donald Trump, Biden's Republican rival in 2024, has enjoyed a financial windfall, raising $53 million in the first 24 hours after his conviction in his secret trial in May alone.

The star power of Clooney, Roberts and even Obama for Biden's Los Angeles fundraiser on Saturday is “huge” for his campaign and campaign coffers, according to Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California.

“Celebrities help create excitement around the event and will likely bring in more donations,” Grose told the Washington Examiner.

Democrats have had a celebrity advantage for so long that it's almost presumed in elections, added Jeremy Mayer, a political science professor at George Mason University, acknowledging that it helps them raise money and “makes get their message across in non-traditional formats and channels.”

“However, due to polarization, this is unlikely to make much of a difference in the election,” Mayer said. Washington Examiner. “Those who were going to let themselves be influenced by George Clooney, Robert DeNiro or Kid Rock are already behind a candidate. However, the younger the celebrity, the greater the potential for impact. An 18-year-old voting for the first time may not be as polarized and loyal as a 40-year-old, and Taylor Swift's support could make a difference.

DeNiro was the face of a criticized Biden campaign news conference outside the Manhattan criminal courthouse during Trump's secret trial in New York in May, while Rock is a longtime Trump supporter. Swift publicly supported Biden in 2020, but has yet to do so this election cycle, although Trump told House Republicans she did so this week.

Biden's campaign rejects speculation that the president would be pressured to raise millions of dollars at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, but Mayer indicated that was the case. Late night host Jimmy Kimmel is expected to moderate a conversation between Biden and Obama. Musical artists have not been announced, but comedian Keegan-Michael Key and actress Connie Britton are expected to attend. Ticket prices start at $250, with packages of $500,000 covering a pre-event reception, a photo with both presidents and an after-party.

“There is pressure on Democrats to raise money in the wake of Trump's post-conviction success, but no more than before,” Mayer said. “The level of pressure on fundraisers in both parties really couldn't be much higher. »

Biden had consistently disparaged Trump until April, when the former president's campaign merged with the Republican National Committee after the GOP primaries. Even Biden's New York fundraiser, co-hosted by entertainer Mindy Kaling and comedian Stephen Colbert at Radio City Music Hall, was overshadowed a week later by a $50.5 million fundraising event for Trump hosted by billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson in Palm Beach, Florida.

Earlier this year, Trump campaign committees disclosed to the Federal Election Commission that they had raised $120.5 million through April, with $49 million in cash and $719,000 in debt. Withunaffiliated pro-Trump organizations, which have different disclosure deadlines, those numbers rose to $244 million and $107.5 million, respectively, as of May 21, according to political money tracker OpenSecrets. That excludes the $141 million the Trump campaign and RNC claim to have raised last month.

By comparison, the Biden campaign and Democratic National Committee had raised $195 million as of April 30, with $84.5 million in cash, increasing to $306 million and $159 million. with outside groups in May. The Biden camp has not shared any other figures from last month.

Well, see how the numbers change in July, but one thing's for sure: Trump's billionaire friends are supporting a white-collar crook's campaign because they know about the deal, they cut him checks, and he's cutting their taxes while workers and the middle class pay taxes. tab,” Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said atWashington Examiner at the time.

“Saturday night's fundraiser in Los Angeles will be a show of force and the latest example of excitement and enthusiasm for the President and Vice President among our diverse coalition of voters,” said a second Biden campaign source. “Entertainment industry leaders are sending a clear signal that they are united and excited about our re-election campaign. »

“The money we raise is important,” he continued. “Every dollar raised Saturday will be used to open offices, hire organizers and launch paid media campaigns to communicate directly with the coalition of voters who will decide this election.”

Democratic strategist Mike Nellis, who like the Biden campaign has downplayed the idea of ​​fundraising pressures from Hollywood, argued that the president and Trump “will have more than sufficient resources to run strong campaigns” and that the race will come down to “execution”. , messaging, etc.

“Money is important, but it gets inordinate political coverage,” Nellis told the news program. Washington Examiner. “There's a point of diminishing returns for these kinds of elections, especially when it's essentially a race between two well-known incumbents like Biden and Trump. »

“Celebrity support is nice to have, but I don’t think they’ll move the needle much for swing voters,” he said. “But they’re great at motivating donors and the grassroots.” There are of course some exceptions to this. Oprah [Winfrey] supporting Obama in 2008 comes to mind. [Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson] support Biden in 2020. The surprise factor and the brand of celebrity count for a lot.”

Meanwhile, Trump's campaign criticized Biden for spending the evening with “elitist Hollywood celebrities who cannot understand the suffering caused by [his] inflation, the immigration crisis and crime. Trump himself attended his own Hollywood fundraiser with actor Jon Voight earlier this month.

“While Joe Biden was in New York for a lavish fundraiser with Obama, Clinton and odd jobs like Lizzo, President Trump was attending wakes of the deceased. [New York City Police Department] “Officer and hero Jonathan Diller, who was tragically killed in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. Washington Examiner. “While Joe Biden takes a taxpayer-funded flight from Europe to Los Angeles for his glamorous fundraiser with Clooney, President Trump will campaign in Detroit, a city left destitute by decades of Democratic politics .”

Another Republican strategist, John Feehery, criticized Clooney after reports that he called the White House to complain about his opposition to the International Criminal Court seeking to indict Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in addition to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. , Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri and Ismail Haniyeh, regarding allegations of war crimes committed in the war between Israel and Hamas. George Clooney's wife, Amal, an international human rights lawyer, worked on the ICC's arrest warrants case. Industrial strikes delayed Biden's arrival in Hollywood last year, but it's unclear whether his response to the war in Gaza will impact his support in California more broadly.

“Well, the fact that Clooney's wife is leading the case against Israel at the ICC makes Clooney's money more than suspect,” Feehery told the newspaper. Washington Examiner. “Movie stars better donate money without sharing toxic opinions that harm the candidate. Democrats should be panicking at this point.”

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Regardless of Trump's fundraising, the former president must pay for one type of expense that Biden isn't paying for: his mounting legal fees.

“What I think most Republican donors don't know is how much of their donation is going to Trump's legal costs,” Professor Mayer said. “If Trump didn't run for president, he would lose $100 million because he would have to pay his own criminal and civil defense lawyers. »