Former President Joe Biden made headlines yet again on Thursday, as he attended a high-dollar fundraiser at the Westchester County home of Hollywood stars Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The event was attended by around 100 people, who gathered in the backyard of the A-listers’ riverfront home to listen to speeches from both Douglas and Biden.
The fundraiser, which was held to benefit Biden’s re-election campaign, caused a traffic nightmare in towns along the Hudson River as authorities closed a 2-mile stretch of Route 9 in anticipation of the president’s visit.
Biden, who is the oldest-ever US president at 81 years old, suffered a gaffe during his speech when he mistakenly referred to the Jan. 6 riots as taking place on June 6 – also known as D-Day. However, the blunder did not take away from Biden’s criticism of his Republican predecessor, former President Donald Trump, whom he accused of inciting the riots and engaging in other failures during his term. Biden also took aim at Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, joking about his infamous suggestion to use bleach to treat the virus.
The star-studded event was hosted by the Douglas family, as well as several other prominent figures in the area, including fashion designer Eileen Fisher and attorney Rodge Cohen. However, Zeta-Jones was unable to attend as she is currently filming a television series in Dublin, Ireland.
Both Douglas and Biden joked about their luck in marrying above their stations, to the amusement of the audience. The president also joked about not being able to watch Trump’s hush money trial, as he has been busy “campaigning.”
Biden’s comments on Trump’s trial come after the former president’s personal lawyer and long-time ally, Allen Weisselberg, was indicted on multiple charges related to the case. However, Biden did not mention the trial specifically, focusing instead on Trump’s supposed failures during his presidency. The president also made a dig at Trump’s current financial situation, joking about a man who approached him and said he was “completely wiped out” due to debt, and Biden responded that he couldn’t help him.
Tickets for the fundraiser ranged from $3,300 for one person to $100,000 for hosts, though it is unclear how much the event raised for Biden’s campaign. The president had previously made a stop in Syracuse, where he praised the CHIPS Act and its subsidies for semiconductor manufacturer Micron, before traveling to the fundraiser in Westchester. After the event, he flew to John F. Kennedy Airport and then took a helicopter to Westchester County Airport, before his motorcade caused rush-hour congestion on the way to the Douglas estate.
Despite some backlash on social media about the traffic caused by the fundraiser, the event was successful in bringing together a diverse group of influential figures to support Biden’s re-election campaign. It remains to be seen how much money was raised during the event, but it is clear that the president and the Douglas family, along with other hosts, were able to bring attention and funds to the cause.
As the 2024 elections approach, events like these are likely to become more frequent as candidates vie for support and funding from influential figures in Hollywood and beyond.
