LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a pair of fundraisers here on Friday, President Joe Biden urged Democratic donors to send him reinforcements on Capitol Hill to keep Republicans out of power and help dislodge his agenda from the current gridlock.
“We need two more senators,” Biden said at the second fundraiser, a reference to Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, two members of the Democratic caucus that he’s struggled to win over.
Without naming either of them, he said they’re “slowing up what we’re able to do.”
It will be difficult for Democrats to pick up any seats in this year’s midterm elections, and Republicans are poised to retake control of Congress.
But Biden described himself as an optimist as he urged donors to continue opening their wallets to support his party. Each fundraiser raised about $2.5 million, according to a Democratic National Committee official.
The first was intimate, with a couple dozen attendees. It was held on the back patio of the home of Andrew Hauptman, a private investor. Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood producer, was also there.
The second fundraiser was at the Muholland Drive estate of Haim Saban, an entertainment mogul. Scores of donors sat under a tent that was pitched on the property’s tennis court.
During the fundraiser there, Biden touted the economic progress under his watch but conceded that prices will likely continue to rise.
“We’re going to live with this inflation for a while,” he said. It’s going to come down gradually, but we’re going to live with it for a while.”
Biden also spoke emotionally about the toll of two recent gun massacres, in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York.
He mocked the idea that teachers should be armed, noting how long it takes to train a soldier to use a firearm.
Pantomiming a pistol with his fingers, he said, “It’s not easy to pick up a rifle or a gun and blow somebody’s brains out.”
At the first fundraiser, first lady Jill Biden spoke before the president.
“He is working as hard as he can,” she said. “We are moving in the right direction.”
Biden spoke about rallying allies to support Ukraine, recalling how some people doubted U.S. intelligence about Russia’s pending invasion.
“Zelenskyy didn’t want to hear it,” he said in a reference to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Biden also appeared raw over some of the media coverage of the Summit of the Americas, which was held this week in Los Angeles. Many stories focused on how some Latin American leaders, notably the Mexican president, boycotted the summit, and others who attended gave speeches criticizing how the U.S. handled the event.
Speaking of the press, Biden said, “I wish they would go back and interview all the heads of state,” insisting that “there was overwhelming, overwhelming support” for working together.
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Republican ones.
“He is working as hard as he can,” she said. “We are moving in the right direction.” The right direction, Jill, would be with bags packed and heading straight out the door to hole yourselves up in Deleware.
Since he is asking campaign donators for two more Senators, does he expect them to go out and buy him one or two with the money? I hear you can get Democrat ones cheap these days. The presidency has already been sold to this cheapskate who had other people pony up the money, not even interested himself to have real financial skin in the game, which is joe’s case would look like Liberal Leprosy. God know what the tissue inside his head looks like,,,,,chocolate pudding perhaps?
IT certainly seems like he was advocating ‘buy me two more”… WHICH LAST I checked should be illegal…
we need no more demoncrats in washington ever.
and joe needs a labotomy.
And Hunter needs another bottle in front of me.
I would prefer having no dems, ANYWHERE.. Let alone in DC!
If We The People had Three more DemoRats Senators in Washington we would have a COMPLETE Three Ring Circus of PARASITES !
This is what we should be fighting for not just this safe servitude we all fall back on because we all have to much to loose.
Lyrics from Team America…..
What would you do
If you were asked to give up your dreams for freedom?
What would you do
If asked to make the ultimate sacrifice?
Would you think about all them people
Who gave up everything they had?
Would you think about all them war vets
And would you start to feel bad?
Freedom isn’t free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don’t all chip in
We’ll never pay that bill
Freedom isn’t free
No, there’s a hefty f #$k##g fee
And if you don’t throw in your buck o’ five
Who will?
What would you do
If someone told you to fight for freedom?
Would you answer the call
Or run away like a little p usse y?
Cause the only reason that you’re here
Is ’cause folks died for you in the past
So maybe now it’s your turn
To die kicking some a s s
Freedom isn’t free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don’t all chip in
We’ll never pay that bill
Freedom isn’t free
No, there’s a hefty f #$k##g fee
And if you don’t throw in your buck ‘o five
Who will?
You don’t throw in your buck ‘o five
Who will?
Oooh buck o’ five
Freedom costs a buck o’ five