Biden news: Democrat breaks fundraising record as Trump accuses Democrats of ‘anti-Catholic bigotry’
Joe Biden’s campaign broke its previous fundraising record by $100m – the campaign raked in $466m in September, topping its August haul of $364m.
The former vice president’s massive effort – the largest-ever from a candidate within a single month – follows a recent return to in-person campaigning with a renewed canvassing effort in key states and a Rust Belt tour just a few weeks ahead of Election Day.
According to the Democratic nominee’s campaign, some 60,000 new donors helped it raise almost $10m in response to his debate against Donald Trump on 29 September, with viewers reassured by the former vice president’s measured performance in the face of the provocation and near-constant interruptions from his antagonist.
Mr Biden toured Pennsylvania on Wednesday aboard a private Amtrak train and argued that he can “win back” such Ohio and Pennsylvania, telling a crowd in Pittsburgh: “We gotta get on this train.”
The candidate invoked his Catholic faith as he led with a message of “hope and possibility” at the 2020 Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a Catholic charities fundraiser that typically sees candidates delivering light-hearted and heartfelt remarks on faith and the country.
But this year’s virtual event, the president accused his rival’s part of “anti-Catholic bigotry” and heaped blame on China for the coronavirus pandemic.
The former vice urged people to “guard ourselves from recognising this is normal and to numb ourselves from the pain and suffering of millions of Americans.”
While the president’s campaign has criticised the Commission on Presidential Debates for announcing “additional structure” to its next events, the Biden camp has committed to following the rules.
“Our position is clear: we will participate under the CPD's rules," the campaign said. "The only real question left is whether the President will start following the rules in the next two debates."
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