Second gentleman Emhoff to replace first lady Biden at Martha's Vineyard fundraiser featuring David Letterman

By 
 July 26, 2024

President Joe Biden's decision to end his re-election bid and hand the campaign over to Vice President Kamala Harris has had some unexpected ripple effects and necessitated certain scheduling changes.

First lady Jill Biden was supposed to headline a Martha's Vineyard fundraiser event next week on behalf of her husband featuring former late-night comedian David Letterman, but now second gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend the event in her place, according to TheWrap.

Emhoff will also fill in for Biden at another fundraiser event scheduled for later in the week in Yarmouth, Maine, per leaked invitations, and the status of other previously scheduled fundraisers in Western states like Colorado and California that the first lady was slated to attend is currently up in the air.

Biden fundraiser plans on hold?

The Associated Press reported last Saturday, before President Biden dropped out of the race, that he and the first lady were scheduled to attend a fundraiser on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts headlined by David Letterman and hosted by Democratic Hawaii Gov. Josh Green at the home of a family friend of the governor.

At the time, the event was billed as a sign that the president was still continuing his bid for a second term despite the mounting calls from fellow Democrats for him to drop out of the race.

In fact, the report mentioned that the Biden campaign had scheduled as many as 10 separate fundraiser events across the country over the final 10 days of July, which contradicted a Reuters report one day earlier about how the campaign's fundraiser plans were essentially on hold because of the president's COVID diagnosis and the rumors that he would soon exit the race under pressure from his fellow Democrats.

Ironically enough, campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz pushed back against that report at the time and falsely stated, "Reuters' sourcing is incorrect, and we look forward to a robust fundraising schedule."

Yet, that Reuters report turned out to be at least partially correct, as some of the previously planned fundraisers have now either been placed on hold or will feature different headlining guests following the sudden switch at the top of the Democratic ticket.

Emhoff replacement of Biden confirmed

The Martha's Vineyard Times confirmed on Wednesday that updated invitations for the July 29 fundraiser event with David Letterman revealed that it would still take place but would feature second gentleman Emhoff instead of first lady Biden, as originally planned.

It was noted that VP Harris was last in Martha's Vineyard for a fundraiser last August and that she had a familial connection to the community, as her sister, Maya Harris, reportedly owns a home there.

The Times also reported that tickets for the event cost $2,500 and that Emhoff was expected to also replace Biden at fundraiser events scheduled for Nantucket Island on July 30 and in Maine on July 31.

What about the Hawaii governor?

Neither TheWrap nor The Times mentioned Hawaii Gov. Green and whether he would still be involved in the fundraiser event with Letterman.

That could be an issue, as the AP report had highlighted how the Green family and Biden family have been friends for years, as the governor's wife's uncle was roommates in college with the president.

Of the then-ongoing pressure campaign to force Biden out of the presidential race, Green told the AP at the time, "We support the President, the V.P. and the Democratic Party, in good and tough times because he has been there for us as a family and a state."

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