This evening in New York, at the corner of 59th Street and Medison Avenue, President Biden attended the DNC fundraiser at the home of Henry Munoz III. The President arrived at 6:20 pm to a room filled with guests and got down on one knee to greet a child who said she had just turned 6.
Robert De Niro was also in attendance but left with a mask on his face before President Biden came out to speak. Video and photos were not allowed in the room.
Henry Munoz III spoke first. President Biden was introduced by Mayor Eric Adams, who praised Biden as an “everyday guy” and a “plain talking Democrat.” Adams said he wanted to deliver the message, “We not only want him to be re-elected, we need him to be re-elected.”
Biden began speaking at 7:20 pm. The President hit on many of the same themes from his other speeches, talking about the stakes of the coming midterms, how he told G7 leaders “America is back” and was asked “for how long?” and how the country was founded based on an idea.
He touted investments in infrastructure, the Inflation Reduction Act, declining gas prices, and the bipartisan gun safety bill. He got loud applause for saying he’s going to fight to ban assault weapons.
“There’s so darn much at stake,” he said, calling it an inflection point.
“I know I got criticized for the speech I made in Philadelphia,” he said later, but argued one can’t say they’re for democratic values if they “celebrate violence against the government.”
On abortion and Roe v. Wade, Biden cited Justice Alito’s comments in a leaked draft of the Dobbs opinion when the justice said it would allow women the chance to vote to affect the legislative process.
“They ain’t seen nothing yet,” Biden said.
“But it’s about freedom. It’s not just about choice…Now mark my words, they’re going after gay rights. I guarantee you. Promise you,” he said, adding contraception access was also at risk.
“This isn’t about 2024, this is about 2022,” Biden clarified in closing, warning that he’d spend all his time using the veto pen.
Biden made mention of his comments to “60 Minutes” that the pandemic is “over,” noting he got criticized for saying it.
“But it basically is not where it was,” Biden added, while urging those in attendance to get their booster shots if they haven’t already.
According to a DNC official, tonight’s fundraiser hosted roughly 100 guests and raised nearly $2 million for the DNC and Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund.
