Former Vice President Joe Biden attended a fundraiser with Wall Street executives in New York City on Monday, even flattering his hosts a bit as he went through his stump speech.
“You know, you guys are great but Wall Street didn’t build America,” he said. “You guys are incredibly important but you didn’t build America. Ordinary, hard-working, middle-class people given half the chance is what built America.”
Biden attended a fundraiser of about 180 guests at the Manhattan home of Jim Chanos, the president and founder of a short-selling investment firm Kynikos Associates. Billionaire John Catsimatidis was spotted at the fundraiser as well as Robert Wolf, founder of 32 Advisors, and Michael Kempner, CEO of MWWPR were also spotted.
Other important moguls included Bruce Mosler, chairman of global brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield, Hal Fetner, CEO of Fetner Properties, and Kenneth Fisher, a co-managing partner at Fisher Brothers, according to CNBC.
The former vice president thanked his donors for giving him a chance to compete in the 2020 primary, teasing that the campaign had already amassed nearly $20 million — citing 360,000 donors with an average contribution of $55.
Biden’s 2020 rivals took notice of the former vice president’s massive cash haul, urging grassroots supporters to help them match his donations.
I don’t spend time at fancy fundraisers. Instead, I spend my time meeting voters and thanking grassroots donors who chip in what they can. Donate $3 to my campaign, and you might just get a call from me to thank you! https://t.co/qvWn3CqUnT
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) June 18, 2019
Bernie campaing manager @fshakir hits Biden in email blast over tonight’s high dollar fundraiser. “Their goal is simple: they want to buy this election. Our goal is simple, too: we can’t fall too far behind – especially before this FEC fundraising deadline.” pic.twitter.com/9tUKvhFrKF
— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) June 17, 2019
