Biden begins Hollywood fundraising tour

President Biden began a 2024 Hollywood fundraising blitz with a visit to Los Angeles this weekend, calling out former President Trump in a speaking engagement while plying his case for a second term.

After a summer of strikes and industry strife where they avoided the Hollywood limelight, Biden and the First Lady planned six fundraising events and meetings between the two of them in Southern California this weekend.

“This is an incredibly successful night,” the president said at his first star-studded fundraiser kicking off the weekend on Friday night, joking that he didn’t want to talk long because he was “the only thing standing between you and Lenny Kravitz.” 

That Friday event, featuring a headline performance by the legendary rocker, brought in $8 million for the president, The Associated Press reported.

Barbra Streisand, Rob Reiner, David Geffen, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) were also in attendance. 

The president used the opportunity to go after his likely opponent, underlining Trump’s election denial as a threat to the country.

“He refused to show up at my inauguration. I can’t say I was disappointed,” Biden joked, adding, ”My guess is he won’t show up at the next inauguration.”

Campaign staff expect this weekend’s fundraising haul to be the largest of the campaign yet. The campaign’s fourth-quarter goal is $67 million, the AP reported.

“The pent-up excitement, enthusiasm is really unprecedented,” DreamWorks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, one of the Biden campaign’s national co-chairs, told the AP. “People are excited. They’re mobilized. And they’ve been waiting months to show their support for him.” 

On Saturday, Biden attended a lower-key event at Katzenberg’s home.

“Whether the enthusiasm is because of the exceptional accomplishments of President Biden, or because of the extreme alternative of someone who is declaring themselves to be an autocrat, either way, you get to the same place,” Katzenberg said. “Which is, Joe Biden’s your person.” 

The Hollywood tour continues a strong fundraising year for the president, which saw his campaign bring in just over $71 million. That just barely beat out the fundraising of former President Obama’s 2011 effort but fell short of Trump’s $125 million haul over the same period.

The push comes as national polling shows Biden neck-and-neck with, or even slightly behind, Trump in a hypothetical 2024 rematch. As more and more voters show concern about his age, Biden has made attempts to reinvigorate his image.

But the Friday event was also picketed with protesters, mostly former Democratic supporters who said they were disgruntled by Biden’s response to the war in Gaza, chanting support for Palestine. One sign labeled the president “Genocide Joe.”