President Biden arrived in Los Angeles this morning, flying directly from the G7 summit in Italy, to attend a fundraiser alongside former presidents Obama and Clinton, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, and actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts. The Biden campaign says the event has already raised $28 million, making it the largest fundraiser in Democratic Party history.
Biden will travel across nine time zones, stopping briefly in Washington, DC, to refuel and attend a fundraiser hosted by Clooney and Roberts at the Peacock Theatre on Saturday night. Biden will shift his focus from the G7 summit of the world’s richest democracies, where he worked to shore up a Western coalition against Ukraine as it continues to fight Russia.
“This Saturday, we expect an unprecedented, record-breaking turnout from the media and entertainment world,” a Biden spokesperson wrote to The Hill. “The enthusiasm and commitment to the Biden/Harris campaign couldn’t be stronger. We all understand this is the most important election of our lifetimes.”
Tickets to the fundraiser range in price from $250 to $500,000, but Kimmel, Roberts and Clooney all sent out fundraising text messages asking grassroots donors to give $20 to watch the fundraiser virtually.
During the fundraiser, Biden, Obama, Clooney and Roberts will appear for a moderated interview with Kimmel, who is expected to focus on health care issues. Kimmel has been a longtime public advocate of Obamacare since his newborn son underwent open-heart surgery in 2017.
“This is Jimmy Kimmel. I’ll be interviewing President Biden and President Barack Obama. Special guests George Clooney, Julia Roberts and more. You’re all welcome to join us,” Kimmel wrote in a fundraising message. “Trump won’t like it, so let’s do it!”
Also scheduled to attend, according to the Biden campaign, are Keegan-Michael Key, Mandana Dayani, Connie Britton, Misha Collins, Jeri Ryan, Jonathan Del Arco, Blake Cooper Griffin and Adam Metto.
Biden hosted a similar fundraiser at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in March, where late-night host Stephen Colbert interviewed Biden, Obama and Clinton, which raised $26 million.
Biden had a fundraising lead early in the campaign, but former President Trump quickly rose to the challenge, outraising Biden’s New York rally in April and raising $50.5 million in Florida. Trump also raised $141 million in May, much of it after Trump’s conviction in New York.
Biden will miss the World Peace Summit for Ukraine in Switzerland to attend a fundraiser, so Vice President Kamala Harris will attend in his place. Volodymyr Zelensky He expressed his displeasure with Biden’s decision, calling it “not a strong decision.”
Zelenskiy said last month that Russian President Vladimir Putin “would stand up and praise” Biden for not coming. Putin and Russia have not been invited to the summit.
