In a rainy New York, President Biden landed in his Air Force One on Thursday afternoon.
With him on the plane was one of America’s biggest political stars, and his former boss, ex-president Barack Obama.
Biden (81) was focused on keeping a tight grip on the banister and looked straight down the stairs from the plane, while Obama (62) sent a wave and a smile in the direction of VG.
None of them answered questions from the press.
Biden and Obama will meet with another former president, and a clutch of big stars, during a fundraiser for Biden’s presidential campaign.
The party night comes at the same time that opinion polls show that Biden is evenly between three and five percentage points behind rival candidate Donald Trump.
In other words, he needs all the help he can get.
In an email VG receives from the Biden campaign, it is stated that he will receive 25 million dollars, 270 million kroner, for the election campaign.
It is a new record for raising money for an election campaign at a single fundraising meeting.
Thousands of supporters, who pay $225 each, are expected to show up.
If you want more exclusive access, it costs the shirt: A picture with all three presidents costs 100,000 dollars. Access to more intimate receptions will cost 250,000 or 500,000 dollars, AP writes.
The sum of 25 million dollars includes entry money paid several weeks in advance.
The event will be hosted by “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. Artists Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele will perform.
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The artist Lizzo in Oslo Spektrum in 2023. -
Queen Latifah on stage in Los Angeles on March 16.
The artist Lizzo in Oslo Spektrum in 2023. Photo: Mattis Sandblad / VG
Queen Latifah on stage in Los Angeles on March 16. Photo: Chris Pizzello / AP / NTB
Reuters writes that in February a total of 53 million dollars was collected for Biden’s presidential campaign, in addition to ten million dollars during the first 24 hours after Biden’s speech to Congress on the seventh of March.
While Biden has the support of his two predecessors, rival candidate Donald Trump has not received the support of his own former Vice President Mike Pence, nor of the only other living former president on the Republican side, George W. Bush.
Former President Trump uses the Biden event as a threat image in one of his own fundraisers.
In an SMS sent to VG, his campaign writes that Trump’s supporters “must not let Obama spit in your face”.
– The Obama-Clinton cartel thinks they can beat us, but I have something they will never get, writes Trump, and asks millions of “American patriots” to give him support.
In a follow-up message, he writes in capital letters:
– TONIGHT ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! In a few hours, the fundraiser will start with Obama, Bill Clinton and the Villain Joe Biden, Trump writes to his supporters.
Biden already held a significant lead over Trump in campaign cash raised: Biden had $155 million on hand at the end of February, compared to $37 million for Trump.
Also read: Trump with a partial victory: Gets a billion-dollar fine postponed
In the private economy, Trump is doing better:
Last week, a merger of Trump’s social media company with the Digital World Acquisition Group led to the former president now sitting on shares in the merged company to a value of 3.9 billion dollars – just under 42 billion kroner – writes Bloomberg.
According to the financial website, that means Trump is richer than ever and is worth $6.5 billion, enough to earn him a spot on their list of the world’s 500 richest.
But the new media billions cannot be withdrawn immediately. The shares are locked up for six months.
