Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are teasing Democrats with the opportunity to attend a fundraiser with them and President Joe Biden next month in New York City.
Obama and Clinton lending their political star power to Biden comes after reports that the former and his aides have been concerned about Biden’s campaign before November’s general election due to poor polling and the increased likelihood Biden will face another former president, Donald Trump, in the fall.
“Folks – I’ll be in NYC on March 28th to support @JoeBiden,” Obama posted Tuesday on social media. “Who’s coming with me? Chip in for your chance to join.”
Clinton replied: “Count me in. Who else is going to be there?”
While polling portends a close election, Biden did start 2024 with a cash advantage over Trump. Biden’s main campaign committee had $46 million in cash on hand, compared to Trump’s $33 million, at the end of last year, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures. Trump has an average 2-percentage-point edge over Biden in head-to-head polling, 47% to 45%, per RealClearPolitics.
Biden will be in New York on Wednesday for three different fundraisers as he and Trump prepare for their likely 2020 rematch.
Obama, who some Democrats have criticized for tending to remain on the sidelines until later in the election cycle, and his aides have reportedly expressed concerns about the Biden campaign and its strategy.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“The vibe was that the campaign didn’t have its s*** together,” one Democrat told Politico last month. “There wasn’t infrastructure in the states. There wasn’t a beefed-up campaign headquarters. And compared to where Obama was in 2011, the campaign was fairly anemic.”
“Obama has raised questions about the structure of President Biden’s re-election campaign, discussing the matter directly with Biden and telling the president’s aides and allies the campaign needs to be empowered to make decisions without clearing them with the White House,” the Washington Post reported in January.
