{"id":2268395,"date":"2024-06-15T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-15T12:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-turns-to-hollywood-to-counter-trump-conviction-fundraising-surge\/"},"modified":"2024-06-15T08:04:49","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T12:04:49","slug":"biden-turns-to-hollywood-to-counter-trump-conviction-fundraising-surge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-turns-to-hollywood-to-counter-trump-conviction-fundraising-surge\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden enlists Hollywood to offset Trump&#8217;s fundraising boost from conviction"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-turns-to-hollywood-to-counter-trump-conviction-fundraising-surge%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2268395&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Joe Biden \u200cis \u2063set to host a \u200bmajor fundraising event in Los Angeles featuring star\u2063 attendees such as former President Barack\u200d Obama, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts. The aim is\u200d to replicate the \u200bsuccess of a previous\u2064 New York fundraiser that raised $26 million, despite Donald Trump&#8217;s surge in campaign funds, partly credited to his $53 million raise following a \u2062conviction in \u2062a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trumps-criminal-hush-money-trial-set-for-march-25\/\" title=\"Trump's hush money trial scheduled for March 25\">hush money trial<\/a>. The addition of celebrities is\u200d considered crucial for \u200dgenerating excitement and donations to Biden&#8217;s election campaign,\u2062 though experts believe\u200b the influence of stars on voter decisions might be limited due to \u200bcurrent political polarization.\u200c The event plans to\u200b involve high-profile activities with tickets priced up to $500,000,\u2062 offering exclusive interactions with the\u2064 presidents. While Trump and\u2063 Republicans criticize Biden&#8217;s association with\u200b Hollywood elites, Democratic\u2064 strategists argue that the importance of such \u200dfundraising events is to ensure sufficient resources for the campaign rather than \u200cdirectly swaying voters.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Joe Biden<\/a> is hoping the sequel will live up to the original when it comes to his campaign\u2019s blockbuster <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hollywood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hollywood<\/a> fundraiser starring former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Barack Obama<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/george-clooney\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>George Clooney<\/a>, and Julia Roberts.<\/p>\n<p>A similarly star-studded event in New York in March that also included former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-clinton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Bill Clinton<\/a> helped Biden raise a record $26 million. But since then, former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>, Biden\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>2024<\/a> Republican rival, has experienced a cash bonanza, raising $53 million during the first 24 hours after he was convicted in his hush money trial in May alone.<\/p>\n<p>The star power of Clooney, Roberts, and even Obama for Biden\u2019s fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday is \u201chuge\u201d for his campaign and his campaign coffers, according to University of Southern California political science professor Christian Grose.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe celebrities help create an excitement around the event and likely yield more donations,\u201d Grose told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>FILE \u2013 George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, pose for photographers upon arrival at the screening of the film The Boys In The Boat, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, in London. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali\/Invision\/AP, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Democrats have had a celebrity advantage for so long that it is almost assumed in elections, George Mason University political science professor\u00a0Jeremy\u00a0Mayer added, agreeing that it helps with fundraising and \u201cgets their message out in nontraditional formats and channels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, because of polarization, it is unlikely to make a big difference at the polls,\u201d Mayer told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThose people who were going to be swayed by George Clooney or Robert DeNiro or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kid-rock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kid Rock<\/a> are already behind a candidate. The younger the celebrity, though, the greater the potential for impact. An 18-year-old first-time voter may not be as polarized and loyal as a 40-year-old, and an endorsement from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taylor-swift\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Taylor Swift<\/a> might make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>DeNiro was the face of a criticized Biden campaign press conference outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse during Trump\u2019s New York hush money trial in May, while Rock has been a longtime Trump supporter. Swift publicly backed Biden in 2020 but has not done so yet this election cycle despite Trump telling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>House Republicans<\/a> that she had this week.<\/p>\n<p>Biden\u2019s campaign dismisses speculation there is pressure on the president to raise millions of dollars at the Peacock Theater in downtown LA on Saturday, but Mayer indicated there was. Late-night host <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jimmy-kimmel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Jimmy Kimmel<\/a> is expected to moderate a conversation between Biden and Obama. Musical performers have not been announced, but comedian Keegan-Michael Key and\u00a0actress Connie Britton are anticipated to attend. Ticket prices start at $250, with $500,000 packages covering a pre-event reception, a photo with the two presidents, and an after-party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is pressure on the Democrats to raise money in the aftermath of Trump\u2019s post-conviction success but no more than before,\u201d Mayer said. \u201cThe level of pressure on both parties\u2019 fundraisers really couldn\u2019t get much higher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biden had routinely outraised Trump until April, when the former president\u2019s campaign merged with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-national-committee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republican National Committee<\/a> after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-primary\/\">GOP primaries<\/a>. Even Biden\u2019s New York fundraiser, co-hosted by entertainer\u00a0Mindy\u00a0Kaling and comic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/stephen-colbert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Stephen Colbert<\/a> at Radio City Music Hall, was overshadowed a week later by a $50.5 million finance event for Trump organized by billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson in\u00a0Palm Beach, Florida.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, Trump\u2019s campaign committees disclosed to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/federal-election-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Federal Election Commission<\/a> that they had raised $120.5 million through April, with $49 million cash on hand and $719,000 in debts. With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/2024-presidential-race\/donald-trump\/candidate?id=N00023864\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nonaffiliated pro-Trump organizations<\/a>,\u00a0which have different disclosure deadlines, those numbers increased to $244 million and $107.5 million, respectively, as of May 21, according to political money tracker OpenSecrets. That excludes the $141 million the Trump campaign and RNC claims to have raised last month.<\/p>\n<p>In comparison, the Biden campaign and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Committee<\/a> had raised $195 million by April 30, with $84.5 million cash on hand, increasing to $306 million and $159 million<a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/2024-presidential-race\/joe-biden\/candidate?id=N00001669\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> with outside groups<\/a> in May. The Biden camp has not shared any other numbers from last month.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll see how the numbers actually shake out come July, but one thing\u2019s for certain: Trump\u2019s billionaire friends are propping up the campaign of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-post-verdict-fundraising-poised-to-evaporate-biden-cash-advantage\/\" title=\"After the verdict, Trump's fundraising may dwindle, giving Biden a financial edge\">white-collar crook<\/a> because they know the deal \u2014 they cut him checks and he cuts their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">taxes<\/a> while working people and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-class\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">middle class<\/a> pay the tab,\u201d Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> at the time.<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>President Joe Biden, right, and former presidents Barack Obama, left, and Bill Clinton participate in a fundraising event with Stephen Colbert at Radio City Music Hall, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cSaturday night\u2019s Los Angeles fundraiser will be a show of force and the latest example of excitement and enthusiasm for the president and vice president across our diverse coalition of voters,\u201d a second Biden campaign source said. \u201cLeaders across the entertainment industry are sending a clear signal: They are united and they are excited for our reelection campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe money we\u2019re raising matters,\u201d he continued. \u201cEvery dollar from Saturday\u2019s haul will be used to open offices, hire organizers, and launch paid media campaigns to communicate directly with the coalition of voters who will decide this election.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Democratic strategist Mike Nellis, who, like the Biden campaign, downplayed the idea of pressure regarding the Hollywood fundraiser, argued both the president and Trump \u201cwill have more than enough resources to execute strong campaigns\u201d and that the race will come down to \u201cexecution, messaging, etc.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMoney is important, but it gets outsized coverage in politics,\u201d Nellis told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThere\u2019s a point of diminishing returns for these kinds of elections, especially when it\u2019s essentially a race between two well-known incumbents like Biden and Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCelebrity endorsements are nice to have, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll move the needle much for swayable voters,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re great at motivating donors and the base though. There\u2019s a few exceptions to that, of course. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oprah-winfrey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Oprah [Winfrey]<\/a>  endorsing Obama in 2008 comes to mind. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dwayne-the-rock-johnson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>[Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson]<\/a>  endorsing Biden in 2020. The surprise factor and the celebrity\u2019s brand matters a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s campaign has scrutinized Biden for spending the evening with \u201celitist Hollywood celebrities who can\u2019t relate to the suffering caused by [his] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/inflation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>inflation<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/border-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>immigration crisis<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>crime<\/a>.\u201d Trump himself took part in his own Hollywood fundraiser with actor Jon Voight earlier this month.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile Joe Biden was in New York City for a ritzy fundraiser with Obama, Clinton, and wack jobs like Lizzo, President Trump was attending the wake of fallen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/NYPD\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>[New York City Police Department]<\/a>  officer and hero Jonathan Diller, who was tragically killed in the line of duty by an illegal immigrant,\u201d Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cWhile Joe Biden takes a taxpayer-funded flight from Europe to Los Angeles for his glamorous fundraiser with Clooney, President Trump will be campaigning in Detroit, a city that has been left destitute by Democrat policies for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another Republican strategist, John Feehery, was critical of Clooney after reports he called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>White House<\/a> to complain about its opposition to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/international-criminal-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>International Criminal Court<\/a> seeking indictments for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Israeli<\/a> Prime Minister <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/benjamin-netanyahu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in addition to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/hamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Hamas<\/a> leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh, concerning allegations of war crimes committed amid the Israel-Hamas war. George Clooney\u2019s wife, Amal, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/preposterous-and-false-human-rights-watch-slammed-for-report-demonizing-israel-omar-tlaib-celebrate\/\" title=\"\u2018Preposterous And False\u2019: Human Rights Watch Slammed For Report Demonizing Israel; Omar, Tlaib Celebrate\">international human rights lawyer<\/a>, worked on the ICC case for the arrest warrants. Industry strikes delayed Biden\u2019s outreach to Hollywood last year, but it is unknown whether his response to the war in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gaza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Gaza<\/a> will have any repercussions for his support in California, more broadly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, the facts that Clooney\u2019s wife is leading the charge against Israel in the ICC makes Clooney\u2019s money more than a little suspect,\u201d Feehery told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cMovie stars are better off giving money without sharing toxic opinions that hurt the candidate. Democrats should be panicked at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Regardless of Trump\u2019s fundraising, the former president has to pay one type of expense that Biden does not: his mounting legal bills.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I think most Republican donors are unaware of is how much of their donation is going to Trump\u2019s legal fees,\u201d Mayer, the professor, said. \u201cIf Trump were not running for president, he would be $100 million poorer because he would be required to pay for his own criminal and civil defense attorneys.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Joe Biden aims for success at his Hollywood fundraiser featuring Barack Obama, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts, following a New York event with Bill Clinton that raised $26 million<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2652,"featured_media":2268396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24009556356758.jpg.optimal.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2268395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24009556356758.jpg.optimal.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2268395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2268395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2268395\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2268396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2268395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2268395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2268395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}