Biden hosts record fundraiser with Obama and Clinton
By Bernd Debusmann, travelling with President Biden, & Brandon Drenon, Washington DC
US President Joe Biden hosted a record-breaking election fundraiser in New York City, alongside his predecessors Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
His team said the star-studded evening at Radio City Music Hall would raise over $25m (£20m) for the campaign – a record for a single political event.
They are looking to extend a growing cash gap between the president and his Republican challenger Donald Trump.
Polls suggest the race for the White House rests on a knife edge.
Some of those in attendance, such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, were sure to make those election stakes clear to the raucous crowd of 5,000 Democrats. The New York senator told them they must do whatever they could to ensure that the “dishonest, chaotic, ineffective regime of Donald Trump” did not return.
Comedian Mindy Kaling hosted the event and spoke just moments after singer Lizzo finished a rendition of her hit About Damn Time. Other stars such as Queen Latifah and Cynthia Erivo also took the stage.
But the longest standing ovation was saved for the moment when the three presidents – Mr Biden, Mr Obama and Mr Clinton – came out.
Chants of “four more years” echoed throughout the auditorium for Mr Biden.
