Kamala to Meet With Major Dem Donors in ‘Short-Notice’ Call

Vice president Kamala Harris is slated to address a network of major Democratic donors on Friday during a call that was scheduled on “short notice,” The New York Times reported, citing two people invited to the meeting.

The call is reportedly endorsed by Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder who’s among the Democratic Party’s biggest givers.

Further details about the meeting are scant, but the call comes amid major turmoil in the White House. President Joe Biden is reportedly considering bowing out of the presidential race as early as this weekend, and many have suggested Harris is the natural choice to replace the president on the ticket.

The vice president and her aides have not addressed Friday’s call publicly, and no list of invited donors has been released or reported.

While rumors concerning Biden’s future have circulated behind the scenes, the president has publicly asserted that he intends to remain in the race and defeat Donald Trump. That’s despite polls suggesting recent flubs, like his debate performance, have hurt Biden significantly in battleground states.

Jill Biden is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser in Paris next week that’s tied to the start of the Olympic Games. That suggests, at least for now, the president is still intent on raising funds for his re-election bid.

The First Lady will lead the US delegation to the Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday, a day after the fundraiser. Those hoping for a seat at Thursday’s event will have to shell out at least $500 to be a guest. The next tiers require $1,000 to be a “qualifier,” $3,300 to be a “torchbearer,” $6,600 to be a “bronze,” $10,000 to be a “silver,” and $25,000 to be a “gold.”

That cash may be much-needed. Semafor reported Thursday that Biden’s campaign cashflow is drying up, and some top donors are reluctant to keep giving because they’re “doubtful” of Biden’s ability to win in November.