Wealthy Democratic donors have taken their plans for a fundraising lunch in support of President Joe Biden off the table. The lunch was planned as an opportunity for a few dozen Chicago elites to raise money for the president during the Democratic National Convention in the Windy City next month, as Democrats seek to financially capitalize on the event’s media attention. Prior to being canceled, planning for the lunch was briefly suspended after the high-roller donors received a taste of waning enthusiasm for the president after his murmured and concerning debate performance last month. Hollywood heavyweight George Clooney helped illustrate that drop in enthusiasm amongst big donors early Wednesday as he called on Biden to withdraw from the race, just weeks after Clooney had hosted a major fundraiser for the president’s campaign. Biden and his campaign are adamant that the president will remain the Democratic nominee in November, and a campaign spokesperson told CNN that the lunch was not a part of Biden’s official fundraising schedule.
