President Biden is set to make a whirlwind fundraising tour of Los Angeles this weekend, hitting six or seven events in the course of a day and a half.
Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will attend a sold-out fundraiser on Friday night, with co-hosts including Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Shonda Rhimes, Rob Reiner, Peter Chernin and Jim Gianopulos. Lenny Kravitz is slated to perform.
The president is also set to attend several other meetings and fundraisers, including one at the home of Jeffrey Katzenberg, a co-chair of his campaign and his key Hollywood surrogate.
This is Biden’s first fundraising trip to L.A. since he launched his re-election bid in April. In an interview, Katzenberg said that the fundraising swing will generate more money than any similar tour since the campaign began.
He said that attendees will likely ask about the administration’s approach to Israel’s war with Hamas, a key issue in the entertainment community.
“It comes up everywhere,” Katzenberg said. “It’s a top-of-mind topic. He’s been very forthcoming about his positions but I know people want to hear directly from him about Israel.”
Biden has trailed former President Trump in several recent head-to-head polls, causing anxiety among his supporters. Katzenberg said that the jitters are part of every presidential campaign, and predicted that voters will come to appreciate Biden’s handling of the economy.
“Anxiety is always in the mix and there’s always varying degrees of it,” he said. “How much value and importance do I put on polling today? Enough to be concerned and not enough to have a sleepless night. It’s a snapshot of a moment in time. Where we will be nine, 10, 11 months from now will not look like where we are today… Today the sentiment is not as favorable as the data. That will change.”
Hollywood’s role was somewhat muted during the 2020 campaign, given the COVID lockdown that all but halted traditional campaign events. Several entertainment figures — including Eva Longoria, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kerry Washington and Tracee Ellis Ross — did play host to the “virtual” Democratic convention.
Katzenberg said the industry will be back in full force in 2024.
“You’ll see it across the board — movies, TV, sports, music,” he said. “All of these areas are very strong supporters of President Biden. They will be highly visible this weekend and throughout the campaign.”
Biden is set to arrive at LAX at 5 p.m. on Friday, and depart at 12:40 p.m. on Sunday.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is also set to appear at the fundraiser on Friday, which is hosted by James Costos, a former ambassador to Spain, and Michael Smith, an interior designer. Costos, who is also a former HBO exec, and Smith are veterans of the L.A. Democratic fundraising circuit.
Contributions will go to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint effort of the Democratic National Committee, state Democratic Party organizations, and the Biden re-election campaign.
The first lady is also scheduled to tour the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars Sinai Medical Center during her visit.
