Biden campaign fundraises $27 million after first debate
US President Joe Biden speaks at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center grand opening ceremony in New York on June 28, 2024. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images
The Biden campaign has raised $27 million starting from the day of the first presidential debate through Friday evening, a campaign spokesperson announced on Saturday.
The number comes in the middle of President Joe Biden's post-debate fundraising swing, during which the campaign is looking to keep pace with former President Donald Trump's recent donation momentum.
The Biden campaign, the Democratic National Convention, and Biden PACs and committees jointly raised $85 million in May, lagging behind Trump's $141 million haul in the same month that the former president was convicted on 34 felony charges.
The post-debate campaign push is also trying to reassure donors that Biden can still deliver a Democratic win come November, despite his fumbling performance at Thursday's first debate against Trump.
After the 90-minute face-off in Atlanta, Biden on Friday headed to Raleigh, North Carolina, to hold a rally where he spoke with a more energetic tone and acknowledged his debate slip-ups.
"Folks, I don't walk as easily as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth," he said.
After North Carolina, the president flew to New York to deliver remarks at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center to mark Pride Month. Later that evening, he held several campaign receptions.
Biden will participate in even more campaign receptions on Saturday in New York and New Jersey before returning to Camp David later in the evening. Those events will likely boost the $27 million fundraising figure higher.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how much of this new fundraising came from grassroots donors online versus higher-dollar donors.
Since the 90-minute face-off on Thursday, Democrats have been in a frenzy trying to clean up the mess of Biden's debate flop.
Biden supporters, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have tried to spin the debate by recognizing, rather than ignoring the president's debate blunders while also asking voters to look past them.
Some Democratic strategists, however, are calling on Biden to drop out of the presidential race and forfeit his delegates to a fresh candidate.
Biden and Trump are scheduled to debate again on Sept. 10, a potential redemption opportunity for the president's perception with voters, many of whom express concerns over his age and ability to handle a second term.