‘A positive story to tell’: Obama and Clinton rip Trump, boost Biden at $26M NYC campaign fundraiser

Barack Obama and Bill Clinton joined President Joe Biden Thursday night in New York at the most lucrative fundraiser of the 2024 campaign, warning fellow Democrats that Donald Trump must be defeated while making forceful cases for Biden's reelection.

Appearing on stage together at Radio City Music Hall, the former presidents defended Biden's record in a push to rally Democrats around not just beating Trump but allowing Biden to continue his agenda.

"Joe is absolutely right that we've got not just a nominee, but frankly a party and an entire infrastructure that increasingly seems unconcerned with the essence of America," Obama said of Trump and Republicans, "the idea of self-governance and the possibilities of us all fully operating and bridging our differences and moving forward.

"But we also have a positive story to tell about the future."

The three presidents took turns taking questions during an "armchair conversation" moderated by Stephen Colbert, host of CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

Obama: 'Sometimes we forget where we started'

The Biden campaign fundraiser, which attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 5,000 donors, raised more than $26 million, the most ever for a single fundraiser in U.S. political history, according to the campaign.

"It's not just the negative case against the presumptive nominee on the other side. It's the positive case for somebody who's done an outstanding job," Obama said. "Sometimes we forget where we started, and where we are now. You've got record-breaking job growth. You've got an unemployment rate that is as low as it has been."

The rare showing of three Democratic presidents presented a united front to help Biden bring together a Democratic coalition that has shown signs of splintering.

Most polls show Biden trailing Trump, the former president and presumptive Republican nominee, in a head-to-head contest, in part because Biden is underperforming among Black, Latino, and young voters − three crucial constituencies of the Democratic base.

"I think our democracy is at stake − not a joke. I think democracy is literally at stake," Biden said. "Think about the things (Trump) has said, think about the things he wants to do."

Biden added: "We’re at a real inflection point in history. Things are changing. This guy denies there is global warming. This guy wants to get rid of not only Roe v. Wade − by the way which he brags about having done − he wants to get rid of the ability of anyone anywhere in America to have the right to choose. All the things he's doing are so old."

Clinton said voters should put aside their differences given the stakes of the race. "Talking about the defense of democracy not only begs support for President Biden but also begs the question of: Why are we even arguing about some of this stuff?"

Clinton on Biden: He 'deserves another term'

Clinton made an economic pitch for Biden, who has struggled to get credit for an improving economy. Clinton accused Trump while in office of taking credit for an economy that had started improving under Obama and said Biden later inherited "a mess" left by Trump.

"All of a sudden, Joe Biden comes along and creates roughly twice as many jobs," Clinton said. "So I believe in keeping score. Not in a vindictive way but in a positive way. He's been good for America and he deserves another term."

The fundraiser was limited to the president's traveling pool press and not open to all reporters. No television cameras were allowed, consistent with the policy of all Biden fundraisers.

"This is an especially exciting and rare occasion. Three presidents have all come to New York, and not one of them is here to appear in court," Colbert said in a jab at Trump.

Biden closed out the fundraiser by embracing a meme that mocks a favorite attack line of Trump supporters. "By the way, Dark Brandon is real," Biden said as all three presidents and Colbert each put on aviator sunglasses.

Gaza protesters interrupt fundraiser

Ahead of the show, supporters lined barricades along the streets as the motorcade with the three presidents arrived. A large group of pro-Palestinian protesters also gathered outside Radio City Music Hall, a visible reminder of the pressure from the left that Biden faces in his reelection bid.

Multiple protesters interrupted the presidents as they talked about the war in Gaza with Colbert. "Blood on your hands," some yelled. "You can’t just talk and not listen,” Obama snapped back to one of the protesters. "That’s what the other side does."

Addressing Israel's war against Hamas, Biden said the U.S. must work to get more food, medicine and supplies to Palestinians. He said it's "understandable Israel has such a profound anger" after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. "They weren't killed. They were massacred," Biden, said, but added that Israel must do more to limit civilian causalities in its response.

"We must, in fact, stop the effort that is resulting in significant deaths of innocent civilians, particularly children," Biden said.

Star-studded lineup

Obama traveled with Biden on Air Force One from Washington to New York earlier in the day. They joined Clinton in the afternoon for a recording of the podcast SmartLess, hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.

The fundraiser was a star-studded affair. In addition to Colbert, actress Mindy Kaling, star of "The Office" and "The Mindy Project," hosted the program, which featured musical guests Lizzo, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and first lady Jill Biden also delivered remarks.

Lizzo performed her hit song "About Damn Time." Queen Latifah sang "U.N.I.T.Y." Kaling joked that she is getting older, but compared to Biden, Obama and Clinton, she looks like a “cast member on 'Euphoria,'" referring to the HBO series.

"The reason we are here is to reelect President Joe Biden," Kaling said.

"We got three presidents in the house. That sounds like a p-p-p-party to me!" Lizzo said.

Trump, who was also in New York Thursday, attended a wake in the afternoon for Jonathan Diller, a New York City police officer, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop Monday.

In a fundraising email before the event, Trump wrote, "Tonight all hell breaks loose! In a few short hours, the FIRST EVER Democrat fundraiser with Obama, Bill Clinton, and Crooked Joe Biden will begin. Hundreds of deranged Hollywood liberals will be in attendance, and they will open their wallets to fund the DESTRUCTION OF OUR COUNTRY!"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Obama and Clinton rip Trump, boost Biden at $26M NYC fundraiser