Biden Looks to Hollywood for 2024 Boost. It wasn't that simple

(Bloomberg) — Joe Biden is counting on Hollywood's A-list to help propel him to victory in November, but their star power has yielded a mixed result for the embattled president.

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Prominent actors and musicians, from Robert De Niro to Barbara Streisand, have urged donors to support Biden's re-election efforts, but there is little evidence that they have influenced their fans to support him. Meanwhile, a number of young stars have yet to publicly support Biden in his race against Republican Donald Trump.

Biden sought to capitalize on celebrity support Saturday at a major fundraiser at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, joined by stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, as well as former President Barack Obama. Roberts, Clooney and other stars, including White Lotus actress Connie Britton, sent text messages to supporters asking for donations before the event. The evening raised more than $30 million, according to the Biden campaign.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel warmed up the audience with jabs at Trump, mocking him like an orange Julius Caesar before moderating a discussion with Biden and Obama. Asked by the late-night host how they would appeal to Republican voters frustrated with their presumptive candidate but hesitant to support a Democrat, Obama cited Trump's recent conviction for falsifying business records, a verdict that made of the Republican the first former American president convicted of a crime. crime.

Some of what has happened in recent years is due to normalized behavior that was previously disqualifying, Obama said. The candidate of one of the two major parties, sitting in court and being found guilty by a jury of his peers on 34 counts.

Saturday's event was a star-studded affair, also attended by actors Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn and Jack Black.

All recent Democratic presidents have sought to turn loyal fan bases and recognition from the Hollywood elite into support. But Biden's team has struggled to win support this year, particularly among young people unhappy with his handling of the Israel-Hamas war and other issues. The toxic nature of political debate can also keep celebrities on the sidelines.

There's a difference between motivating donors and motivating voters, said Aubrey Montgomery, president of the Democratic consulting firm Rittenhouse Political Partners. Not all celebrities like to be associated with partisan politics.

Arguably America's two biggest musicians, staunch Obama supporter Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have yet to support Biden this year. Swift has a huge following among young voters that grew as she toured sold-out stadiums over the past year and began a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star, Travis Kelce.

Still, Biden's support in Hollywood has helped him build a financial advantage against Trump, even as the former president has begun to shut it down. DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg is co-chairman of Biden's campaign and has leveraged his connections to secure financial support. Director Steven Spielberg is helping with messaging efforts for the Democratic National Convention in August.

Guests could purchase tickets to Saturday's event for as little as $250, according to Eventbrite. For up to $500,000, they could have their photo taken with Biden and Obama and gain access to VIP entry and an after-party.

The enthusiasm and commitment for Biden/Harris couldn't be stronger, Katzenberg said in a statement ahead of the fundraiser.

Some celebrity interactions fell flat and failed to generate the viral moments the Biden campaign sought. De Niro's fiery denunciation of Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse, where the Republican was on trial, drew applause from Biden supporters but was mocked by others.

Tom Hanks and Spielberg were in France alongside Biden for ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the landings, but did not play a role with the public. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill made a surprise appearance at the White House in May to congratulate the president he jokingly nicknamed Joe-B-Wan Kenobi. But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre then struggled to explain why he was at the executive mansion.

At a June 19 concert, Biden went viral, but not in the way his campaign wanted. Videos of the 81-year-old president appearing to freeze during one of the musical performances circulated on social media, sparking concerns about his age.

Trump has also made inroads with celebrities, posting his first video on TikTok this month alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White. Trump has already amassed more followers and likes than Biden's campaign account, which debuted in February. In May, Trump held a rally in the Bronx, New York, and invited rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow to try to connect with black voters.

The only people in America supporting Joe Biden's failing campaign are elitist Hollywood celebrities, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

Biden's Democratic predecessors navigated the celebrity world more easily. Obama regularly threw birthday parties attended by the biggest stars of music, cinema and sports. Bill Clinton's defining moment in the 1992 campaign came when he played the saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show.

Both men provided aid to Biden. In March, Biden raised $25 million at New York's Radio City Music Hall, a one-day bonanza featuring the two former presidents and performances by Broadway stars. That event was interrupted by protesters angry at Biden's handling of the Middle East conflict. Protesters also gathered outside the venue on Saturday.

We have a lot of differences within our own party and that's healthy, Obama said.

Polls showing Trump gaining ground among Black voters, who played a key role in Biden's 2020 victory, are increasing pressure on the president to connect with voters of color. Earlier Saturday, Trump courted black voters at a church in Detroit, in the swing state of Michigan.

Obama dismissed these efforts, joking that the only thing Trump had done for black Americans was to make them feel even better about the first black president. And he urged Democrats to turn out in November, saying a number of people, for whatever reason, didn't come together in 2016 when Trump won the White House. I hope we learned our lesson.

During his 2020 campaign, Hollywood stars from Will Smith to Mindy Kaling and Ben Affleck donated to Biden, according to campaign finance data. But Biden is struggling to regain the support of some stars. Rapper Cardi B and actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson previously supported Biden, but indicated they would not do so again.

Using celebrities to raise money and using celebrities to engage voters are two very different tactics, Montgomery said.

–With help from Bill Allison, Nancy Cook and Akayla Gardner.

(Updated fundraising number in third paragraph.)

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