Camila Francisco
President Joe Biden, who stood by his Democratic predecessors held a fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday. Drawing a crowd of over 5,000 supporters and raising more than $26 million, according to his campaign.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton were in attendance at the New York event, which also saw a handful of protesters disrupt proceedings while the trio of presidents addressed the audience.
Mindy Kaling, the actor and comedian, took up hosting duties for the evening, which wrapped up around 10 p.m. Late-night host Stephen Colbert moderated a panel discussion featuring Biden, Clinton, and Obama, with notable guests such as Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, and Lea Michele.
Colbert injected humor into the conversation, quipping about the rarity of three presidents visiting New York without legal entanglements, a dig at former President Donald Trump. Clinton also took aim at Trump, suggesting he “stole” successful years from Obama’s presidency.
Despite the lively atmosphere, the discussion faced interruptions from protesters on at least five occasions. Biden addressed one disruption by emphasizing the need for progress towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, drawing applause and chants of “four more years.”
Obama, responding firmly to a protester, stressed the importance of listening in democracy, even amid strong convictions. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
Biden’s team has adopted measures to mitigate disruptions, such as smaller events and withholding exact locations for longer periods, following previous incidents. Outside the venue, pro-Palestinian demonstrators voiced their grievances, criticizing Biden’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Trump campaign, in contrast, has been relatively quiet since March 16. Trump himself attended the wake of a slain New York police officer earlier on Thursday.
Recent polls show a tight race between Biden and Trump, with economic issues at the forefront. During the discussion, Clinton highlighted the ongoing economic challenges faced by many Americans, attributing some of the difficulties to the aftermath of the 2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. He credited Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their efforts in rebuilding the economy.
“We must not repeat the mistakes of 2016,” Clinton cautioned, referencing Trump’s victory over his wife, Hillary Clinton, in the previous election.
