Amid questions about Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s authenticity and electability, some major Hollywood donors are ready to put their money and support behind Vice President Joe Biden, and have scheduled a fundraiser for the 72-year-old Wednesday in West Hollywood.
While Biden has not officially declared his intentions to join the race, a number of major players have told TheWrap Hillary’s entertainment industry support may not be so unified, and one member of the newly-formed Draft Biden Committee told the industry site, “You’d be surprised to know how many people who have supported Hillary have told me they would switch over if Joe Biden announced he was running.”
Hillary has deep roots and a major financial head start in Hollywood, but much like 2008, when many donors dumped her campaign to support then-Senator Obama, there seem to be major concerns over her likability, and Biden seems a viable alternative for a number of Hollywood bundlers.
“He’s the real deal. He tells it like it is, and he’s authentic, which is something that people are craving right now,” an anonymous Hollywood Biden supporter told the site.
Another major bundler close to the committee says public support for Biden will increase in the coming days and weeks, and Hollywood will likely be writing checks.
“I just got a call from a major bundler to Obama in 2008 and 2012 and he told me he was joining the Draft Biden team,” the person said.
While it is unknown if Biden could attract the kind of Hollywood mega donors that have been raising big bucks for Hillary Clinton since April, Biden’s people say Hillary’s support might not be out of love for Hillary, but rather a desire to keep a Democrat in the White House.
“Everybody loves Joe Biden,” another Hollywood bundler told TheWrap. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he got the support of Hollywood should he decide to run.”
While entering this late in the campaign would be a “steep hill for Biden to climb,” according to Democratic strategist Dave Jacobson, because Hillary has already secured the support of big donors like Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg, Biden’s support in Hollywood has increased since the death of his son Beau in May, and a petition to get him to challenge Hillary has just garnered more than 185,000 signatures.
Biden supporters, some of who expect the VP to enter the race by Labor Day, are holding their first fundraiser in an upscale West Hollywood restaurant Wednesday, where about 45 guests with “deep pockets” are expected to attend.
Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be in Los Angeles again Thursday, where her latest round of fundraising will kick off at the house of Scooter Braun, the manager for pop singers Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.