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ANALYSIS President Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton raked in more than $25 million at a glitzy New York City fundraiser Thursday night, a show of unity that Republicans have struggled to match.

Political analysts for months have noted there appears to be more enthusiasm among Republican voters, with key blocs of the Democrats base including Black, Latino and Arab American voters frustrated with Biden for different reasons. Biden and other top Democratic officials hope the star-studded event will help whip up enthusiasm about his record as president and prevent Trumps return to the White House.

Biden with Obama hitching a ride from Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C., to New York came to the storied Radio City Music Hall with some political momentum. Some recent polls have shown him closing the gap with Trump or pulling ahead of the presumed GOP nominee in key swing states, and Biden is fresh off campaign stops in a number of key swing states, adding to his massive fundraising edge over Trump along the way.

The New York City event raised more than $25 million, according to Bidens election campaign, selling more than 5,000 tickets.

This historic raise is a show of strong enthusiasm for President Biden and Vice President Harris and a testament to the unprecedented fundraising machine weve built, Biden 2024 campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement.

He then took a shot at Trump: Unlike our opponent, every dollar were raising is going to reach the voters who will decide this election. The numbers dont lie: [Thursdays] event is a massive show of force and a true reflection of the momentum to reelect the Biden-Harris ticket.

Bidens campaign cash on hand at the end of February was more than $100 million higher than Trumps, according to reports citing campaign filings. Trump has been using his campaign accounts to pay his legal bills in multiple criminal and civil cases, eroding his cash for rallies and other campaign functions.

Biden, Obama and Clinton, during a session moderated by CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, covered a range of topics, from the Israel-Hamas war to the economy to Democrats health and economic records and even Trumps golf habit.

Here are four takeaways from Democrats big night in the Big Apple.

Bidens potential Electoral College problem with pro-Palestinian voters followed him to New York. Demonstrators outside chanted and waved Palestinian flags, and protesters interrupted him inside the hall.

When Colbert asked the two former presidents what they miss about the job, the trio was interrupted, according to a pool reporter allowed into the event, by protesters whistling and yelling obscenities about Russia and Ukraine, and then by pro-Palestinian individuals.

Like an event Tuesday in potential battleground North Carolina, Biden asked security personnel to let the protesters have their say.

Thats all right. Let them go. Theres a lot of people who are very, very there are too many innocent victims, Israeli and Palestinian. Weve got to get more food and medicine [and] supplies in to the Palestinians, Biden said, reiterating his stance that Israel has a right to defend itself but Palestinians in Gaza must be helped.

Its understandable Israel has such a profound anger and Hamas is still there, the president said. But we must, in fact, stop the effort that is resulting in significant deaths of innocent [Palestinian] civilians, particularly children.

Obama said Americans need to be more comfortable understanding that it is realistic to support Israels defense needs and the rights of Palestinians. All three endorsed a two-state solution, with Biden re-upping his call for a shelved plan under which he said Saudi Arabia was ready to normalize relations with Israel.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a former member of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, said last week that youve got to have a plan to make sure you can de-radicalize the Palestinian population.

And thats going to require Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, he said in a brief interview. There is no solution to Hamas without the Arab world getting involved.

Biden went directly after Trump about the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, continuing a recent trend of directly criticizing his predecessor during public remarks and at fundraisers.

He sat there in the dining room off the Oval Office for several hours and watched, didnt do a damn thing, Biden said a version of the events of that day that matched former Trump White House aides who testified before the Houses Jan. 6 select committee.

Its not only that he said it wasnt an insurrection, he says that what was happening was totally legitimate. That these people were patriots, Biden said of Trump and the rioters. Hes calling them patriots. But the end result of it is he says if he were to be freely elected, hes going to pardon all of them. By the way, he means it. He means it.

To that end, Trump at a recent rally called those individuals who have been convicted because of their actions on Jan. 6 hostages.

Obama then offered an assessment of the countrys composition that likely will rankle Republicans who want to drastically reduce immigration rates.

We fought a civil war, and enormous struggles were fought to try to perfect our union, he said. And we, in our actions overseas, sometimes did not live up to our ideals. But what has always made America exceptional is this radical idea that you can get people from every corner of the globe.

Clinton and Obama spent time touting Democrats collective record on issues like health care and the economy since the former took office in 1993. They criticized Trumps record, saying they each oversaw more job growth than the 45th president.

Obama indirectly tried to explain Bidens low overall poll numbers and a majority of voters dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy.

And one of the things that all three of us accept when you have this extraordinary privilege of serving the American people is, if its happening on your watch, and even if you didnt have anything to do with it, even if youre making progress, theres going to be frustrations and sometimes those will be directed towards your office. Thats part of the deal, the 44th president said.

But the thing that not only Joe has to communicate, we who support Joe have to communicate, is at the end of the day, who do you think is actually going to look out for you? Obama said, suggesting Trump cannot relate to most Americans. Who do you actually think is going to fight on your behalf? Whos gone through tough financial times? Who has actually experienced the worry of a child getting sick and you try to figure out how youre going to pay for it?

And Joe has gone through those struggles.

On the flip side, Trump and his surrogates often call Biden too cognitively hindered and corrupt to serve a second term.

The presidential election will play out in swing states and courtrooms, where Trump still faces more than 80 criminal counts for alleged business fraud, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and classified documents that he took from the White House to his Florida resort home and then, according to federal investigators, refused to return.

But perhaps the two candidates could face off on the links, especially since no general election debates have yet been scheduled.

Look, Id be happy to play. I told him this once before when he came into the Oval before he was sworn in, Biden said of Trump, referring to a post-election visit to the White House when Trump was president-elect. I said, Ill give you 3 strokes but you carry your own bag.

Trump last weekend bragged on his social media site that he once again won one of his golf clubs annual members tournaments. But he added a new twist, claiming he also won the seniors tournament. The Biden campaign spent ample time this week mocking Trumps golf habit, noting he has held few campaign events in recent weeks.

Ive only played 21 holes, Biden said, since Ive been president.

Always in counterprogramming mode, Trump appeared on Fox News Channels popular Fox & Friends morning program Friday in an attempt to cast Biden as anti-police over fallen New York City police officer Jonathan Dillers death. Law enforcement officials said Diller was shot and killed by a man who had been previously arrested multiple times.

Trump visited with Dillers widow on Thursday, but Biden did not attend his wake.

I think that politically he cant support the police, Trump said of Biden. I think hes also making a mistake. But I think, politically, his base wont let him support the police. And I support the police. I would say at the highest level of any president by far, maybe double or triple.

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Takeaways: Biden, Obama, Clinton try to boost Dem enthusiasm with NYC spectacle - Roll Call

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Biden fundraiser with past presidents Obama and Clinton nets record $25 million, campaign says  PBS NewsHour

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Biden fundraiser with past presidents Obama and Clinton nets record $25 million, campaign says - PBS NewsHour

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After officially declaring Easter Sunday Transgender Day of Visibility, a move that enraged evangelical Christians, Catholics and even Jews, President Biden insisted a day later that he didnt do that.

Yet despite a post from his own presidential X account an official presidential proclamation issued by the White House that was also displayed on official social media platforms demonstratively showing Mr. Biden did indeed do that, the White House press corps went into action dutifully defending the president and attacking Republicans for their anger.

So, the criticism over the Transgender Day of Visibility, the White House said that the president wouldnt abuse his faith for political purposes, was how The Associated Press Will Weissert teed up the controversy for White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday. Does the president think thats what Republicans are doing on this?

Ms. Jean-Pierre duly responded that fallout over the proclamation was based on misinformation done on purpose by Mr. Bidens cruel, hateful and dishonest political foes and that the president would never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.

Apparently satisfied with that nonresponse, Mr. Weissert thanked the press secretary, and the rest of the complacent White House press corps never broached the subject again.

Media fact-checkers also had the presidents back. Mr. Biden did not declare Easter Sunday as Transgender Day of Visibility, despite the presidents own proclamation, they argued, because March 31 has already been recognized as International Transgender Day of Visibility since 2009. The two dates just happened to coincide this year.

Its no surprise that Americans trust in the mass medias reporting is at its lowest point in the history of Gallup polling, with 39% recently reporting that they have no confidence at all in the nations press corps.

But mainstream reporters serving as partisan mouthpieces didnt start with Mr. Bidens presidency. For that, you have to go back to the last Democrat to occupy the Oval Office.

Barack Obama, with his youthful charisma, intoxicating message of hope and change, and history-making status as the nations first Black president, captivated the hearts and minds of Washingtons elite press corps. You could say they got thrills going up their legs shilling for the progressive wunderkind.

Even Hillary Clinton noticed the change in the quality of press coverage when she was battling Mr. Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. In one primary debate, Mrs. Clinton referenced a Saturday Night Live skit about a love-struck media fawning over Mr. Obama while treating her as an obstacle in his way.

I just find it curious if anybody saw Saturday Night Live, maybe we should ask Barack if hes comfortable and needs another pillow, Mrs. Clinton fumed on the debate stage.

It wasnt just a rant from a sore loser: The Center for Media and Public Affairs reported that from mid-December 2007 to mid-February 2008, 83% of Mr. Obamas coverage on network news telecasts was dotingly admirable an unprecedented number.

During the general election campaign, media coverage was more positive than negative for Mr. Obama, whereas his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, was trashed. According to a Pew Research Centers Project for Excellence in Journalism study, nearly 6 in 10 stories on McCain were decidedly negative, while fewer than 2 in 10 were positive.

Mr. Obamas popularity with the Fourth Estate continued into his first 100 days in office, where he enjoyed substantially more positive media coverage than either Bill Clinton or George W. Bush during their first months in the White House, according to Pew.

The study found that positive stories about Mr. Obama outweighed the negative by 2-to-1 (42% vs. 20%), while 38% of the stories were neutral or mixed.

Mr. Obama was aware of his star appeal, joking at the 2009 White House Correspondents Dinner that most of you covered me. All of you voted for me.

Presidential accountability nearly vanished during Mr. Obamas eight years in office. The press corps turned a blind eye when Mr. Obama illegally ignored treaties duly ratified by the Senate to investigate and prosecute torture, when he ordered the assassination of an American citizen in secret without due process, and when he waged an unprecedented war against government whistleblowers.

When Mr. Obamas IRS targeted and tried to suppress conservative groups, the mainstream media yawned. When Mr. Obamas Justice Department spied on the AP collecting two months worth of reporters phone records the press accepted it.

So is it any surprise that Mr. Biden Mr. Obamas loyal vice president for those eight years isnt being held to account for his catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, for the deaths of U.S. service members abroad, or his handling of the illegal invasion of our southern border?

As in Mr. Obamas administration, when concerned parents or pro-life activists are targeted, the press deems it a right-wing conspiracy not worthy of coverage. When evidence surfaces that Mr. Bidens White House is working to censor and curtail Americans free speech on social media platforms, the media looks the other way because its conservatives who are mostly the targets.

Mr. Bidens White House gets a major break on policy issues as well. Higher inflation? Dont worry, its transitory. Unprecedented southern border crossings? The border is secure, and it is Congress fault. Rising gas prices? Obviously, its because of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Increased crime? Only a concern in conservative circles. Mr. Bidens cognitive decline? Dont ask, ignore.

Donald Trump, by contrast, is the devil, a threat to democracy, a dictator worse than Hitler, the Antichrist, according to the dominant media perspective these days.

If you only listen to the mainstream media, these are the narratives youll hear (or wont hear). But dont blame Mr. Biden for the Fourth Estates corruption. Blame Mr. Obama. It started under him.

Kelly Sadler is the commentary editor at The Washington Times.

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How Obama ruined the mainstream press corps - Washington Times

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Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to raise $25 million with Biden amid concerns about his age  NBC News

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Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to raise $25 million with Biden amid concerns about his age - NBC News

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The epicenter of the presidential campaign shifted to New York on Thursday, as the incumbent president and three of his predecessors descended on the area for dueling events that illustrated the kinds of political clashes that could come to define the general election.

For Democrats, it was a high-profile, celebrity-studded fund-raiser for President Biden in Manhattan. On Long Island, former President Donald J. Trump attended a wake for a New York City officer who was killed during a traffic stop on Monday. Together, the days events struck an unusual contrast in a general election campaign that has so far been largely defined by appearances in courtrooms and at small, invitation-only events.

Mr. Biden, along with Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, appeared before 5,000 donors at a Radio City Music Hall event that campaign aides said raised $25 million. The eye-popping number set a record for a single political event, according to the aides, and offered a star-studded show of Democratic unity as the president heads into a difficult re-election campaign.

The three Democratic presidents spent much of their time in New York City wrapped in the glitz of their celebrity supporters. Tieless and in matching white shirts, they sat for an interview on a celebrity podcast, were roasted by the comedian Mindy Kaling and interviewed by Stephen Colbert, a late-night host.

Our democracy is at stake, not a joke. I think democracy is literally at stake, Mr. Biden said. Were at an inflection point in history.

Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Clinton made the case for re-electing Mr. Biden, praising his work expanding health care coverage, creating jobs, capping insulin prices and navigating the competing demands of the war in Gaza.

Its not just the negative case against the presumptive nominee on the other side. Its the positive case for somebody whos done an outstanding job, said Mr. Obama. We also have a positive story to tell about the future and that is something that Joe Biden has worked on, diligently, each and every day.

Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, made his own appearance in the area several hours earlier, at a funeral home on Long Island surrounded by hundreds of police officers and family members of the slain officer. While not officially a campaign stop, aides used the appearance to draw a sharp contrast with Mr. Biden, attacking the Democrats for spending their evening with donors and celebrities. In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has spent far more time battling in court than in battleground states.

Mr. Biden, meanwhile, has increased the pace of his events since his State of the Union address early this month. But the fund-raiser was one of the largest crowds he has appeared before as president. It will expand an already significant cash advantage, too, raising in one night $5 million more than Mr. Trump reported collecting in February.

The days events underscored a central dynamic of the race: Mr. Biden is campaigning with the force of the Democratic establishment behind his bid, as Mr. Trump stands largely alone.

While Mr. Trump has been endorsed by many Republicans in Congress, a small but persistent wing of the party has declined to support his third run for the White House. The only other living former Republican president has not endorsed his bid, nor has Mike Pence, his former vice president.

Mr. Biden faces a different problem. Nearly all Democratic Party officials, politicians and strategists stand behind his effort. Yet, he has faced sustained opposition from a vocal minority of progressives who have protested the war in Gaza, through protest votes and event disruptions.

On Thursday, a group of several hundred protesters marched through the rain to stand outside the fund-raiser. Biden, Biden, youre a liar, we demand a cease-fire, they chanted. Mr. Biden has faced growing anger from political supporters and global allies about the civilian death toll in Israels war on Hamas.

Jacob Sierra, 27, said he was at the protest because Joe Biden has been enabling the genocide. A registered Democrat from Brooklyn, Mr. Sierra voted for Mr. Biden in 2020 but doesnt think hell vote for the president or Mr. Trump this year.

Were just really frustrated with the fact that this is still going on, said Mr. Sierra, who works for a nonprofit. Were seeing vague sympathy from the president and other elected officials but there is not a lot of action.

Inside the hall, the three presidents sat in matching white armchairs and took the stage to strains of Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, the unofficial bard of the Democratic Party.

Before their appearance, Ms. Kaling warmed up the crowd with jokes about those who spent $500,000 to attend and the age of the men they were all gathered to celebrate. Ms. Kaling, 44, said that she looked like a cast member on Euphoria compared to Mr. Biden, Mr. Obama and Mr. Clinton.

Protesters disrupted the program by shouting blood on your hands. Some were escorted out of the hall by security. You cant just talk and not listen, Mr. Obama snapped, as he was interrupted. Thats what the other side does.

When asked about the situation in Gaza, Mr. Biden expressed understanding for both sides, saying there are too many innocent victims, Israeli and Palestinian.

Its understandable Israel has such a profound anger and Hamas is still there, he said. But we must, in fact, stop the effort that is resulting in significant deaths of innocent civilians, particularly children.

The appearance ended with a joke, when Mr. Colbert, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Obama put on aviator sunglasses as their impression of the president.

Mr. Biden cracked that hes a man who loves two things: Ray-Ban sunglasses and ice cream.

A musical program featured a series of celebrity endorsers including Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele.

Only a small group of press traveling with the White House was allowed in the event and video footage by the news media was prohibited. Before the fund-raiser, the three presidents participated in a joint interview on Smartless, a podcast hosted by the actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

Mr. Trumps appearance struck a decidedly different tone. The former president spent about 30 minutes inside a funeral home in suburban Massapequa on Long Island, visiting with the widow and 1-year-old son of Officer Jonathan Diller. Mr. Diller was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Monday.

While not an official campaign event, Mr. Trump took the opportunity to press a tough-on-crime message. Mr. Trump, who is facing four criminal cases, including one in Manhattan that is going to trial in less than three weeks, stood in front of more than a dozen police officers and proclaimed the need for the country to get back to law and order.

His campaign pushed a different message, drawing a sharp contrast between Mr. Trumps visit and the other political event happening in the region.

President Trump will be honoring the legacy of Officer Diller, Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman, said on social media.

Mayor Eric Adams of New York, who attended the wake after Mr. Trump, told reporters that Mr. Biden had called him to offer condolences that Mr. Adams said he would relay to the family. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Biden has supported law enforcement officers throughout his entire career.

Violent crime surged under the previous administration, she said, speaking aboard Air Force One, as the president traveled to New York City. The Biden-Harris administration have done the polar opposite, taking decisive action from the very beginning to fund the police and achieving a historic reduction in crime.

Michael Gold and Julian Roberts-Grmela contributed reporting.

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Election Updates: Obama and Clinton appear with Biden to raise $25 million. - The New York Times

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