As of: March 29, 2024, 12:05 p.m
By: Lisa Mahnke
Comments
Press
Split
A fundraising event by Republican Biden is receiving criticism. Protesters disrupt several times. Obama and Clinton stand by the president.
New York City – Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are supporting Joe Biden in this year's US election campaign. At a major fundraiser in New York, the three discussed democracy, life in the White House, international conflicts and difficult decisions as president. However, the event also attracted criticism, with some protesters interrupting with heckling. Big topic inside and outside the event hall: the war in Israel.
In total, the event was interrupted by protesters at least four times, according to journalist Shawn McCreesh. “Shame on you, Joe Biden! Shame on you! Shame on you! “They are pushing the genocide in Palestine and no amount of false concern,” a protester interrupted Biden as he talked about the storming of the Capitol. As she was forcibly led out of the hall, she continued to shout: “There is blood on your hands!” Another person holding a Palestinian flag shouted during the event: “Palestinians are dying right now because of your actions!”
“Lonely Seat”: Obama on the challenges of the presidency – and the expectations of the population
“Down with the USA!” was one of the slogans at the demonstration in front of the event building. There, too, Palestine flags were waved and Pali scarves were worn. The hashtag #ShutItDown4Palestine has been mobilizing for demonstrations and actions in the USA for several months. A Gallup poll recently showed that 45 percent of the American population opposes Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. “Genocidal Joe will host a major fundraising gala tonight to continue his campaign of genocide!” wrote The People's Forum movement on X about Biden's event.
“It's a lonely seat,” Obama said, according to
Reuters
, about his experience as president, who had to find a balance between supporting Israel and humanitarian aid. “One of the realities of the presidency is that there is much joy and beauty in the world, but also much tragedy and cruelty.”
When interrupted by a protester, the former president said, according to
Reuters
, "You can't just talk and not listen... That's what the other side does." People "understandably often want a certain purity in the way they speak." “These decisions are being made,” Obama said. “But a president doesn’t have that luxury.”
Criticism also from Trump and the conservatives – fundraising gala instead of funeral service for police officers
President Biden was also criticized by conservatives after 31-year-old NYPD officer Jonathan Diller was killed a few days earlier. “There are dozens of NYPD officers unable to pay their respects to their fallen brother tonight because they have to work in the rain at Joe Biden's $25 million fundraising gala,” Chadwick Moore wrote on X .
My news
Shooting down of F-16 fighter jets: Putin threatens to attack NATO airfields read
Quake in the construction industry: Read the bankruptcy of a large German real estate company
Cheese recall: Federal Office warns of health risks – according to the RKI, three groups are particularly susceptible to focus reading
Meloni takes action: Italy cancels the “super bonus” read
Silent holiday before Easter – What are you allowed to do on Good Friday in Bavaria? read
She had planned Gottschalk's visit to BR completely differently: Schöneberger lost his composure
Donald Trump attended the police officer's wake on Thursday and told Fox News that Biden didn't even call the family. “Crooked Joe is so mentally deficient that he has to serve up a few repeat offenders like Clinton and Obama,” Trump is quoted as saying by
ABC News
.
Record sum through fundraising gala: Can Biden catch up with Trump?
According to the
dpa
, Obama said that voters are faced with the question of who is really interested in their concerns. “I'm pretty sure the other guy isn't doing it,” Obama said of Trump, and said of Biden: “This guy is doing it.” They praised Biden's work and warned about Donald Trump, who will almost certainly run against Biden in November becomes. Biden warned about Trump's denial of climate change, his proximity to autocrats and his desire to restrict basic rights.
Joe Biden achieved record amounts at the fundraising gala - despite criticism and protests. © Brendan Smialowski / AFP
According to Biden's team, the event raised a record $25 million. “The numbers don’t lie: today’s event is a massive show of force and reflects the re-election momentum of the Biden-Harris ticket,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, campaign fundraising director. After Biden had trailed Trump in the polls for a long time, the fully booked event sparked hope among Democrats.
The competitor Trump did not collect that much in the entire month of February and is even burdened by the large number of legal proceedings. Music stars accompanied the event in the Radio City Music Hall. Tickets ranged from $225 to half a million dollars. According to
NBC News,
for $100,000 you could get a photo with Biden, Obama and Clinton.
(lismah)