NEW YORK _ Cory Booker said he could end his presidential campaign by Tuesday unless he is able to reach his goal of $1.7 million in donations within the next 36 hours.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, the New Jersey senator said that despite an "avalanche of support," his campaign needed "some more help" from contributors. His campaign website shows he's about $150,000 short of the amount he targeted on Sept. 21 to have a viable path to victory.
Although he has languished at 2% or 3% in most polls and is struggling in fund raising, Booker has qualified for the October debate of Democratic presidential candidates. In the CNN interview, Booker said he has also met the threshold of 165,000 unique donors required to participate in the November debate.
Booker also rose to the defense of the Democratic front-runner Joe Biden, saying the accusations from President Donald Trump that the former vice president acted improperly to benefit his son Hunter's business interests in Ukraine are unfounded.
"I wouldn't be running if I didn't think I should be president, not him," Booker said of Biden, with whom he has clashed on the campaign trail and at debates.
Yet the allegations from Trump "should in no way affect the vice president in his pursuit of the nomination," he said. "This can in no way besmirch his character, his honor and his incredible service to this country over decades."
Instead, Booker said the focus should be on the actions of Trump and his family, and said he would tighten the rules if elected president.
"I'm watching what's going on with the Trump family right now and Trump properties, and I just find that deeply offensive to just any kind of independent sense of what's honorable, ethical, not to mention consistent with the emoluments clause," he said, referring to a clause in the Constitution that forbids accepting payments from foreign governments. "I just don't think children of president and vice presidents during an administration should be out there doing that."
