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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World

Cher raises $2m for Joe Biden at virtual LGBTQ fundraiser and asks fans 'do you believe in life after Trump?'

Cher has raised $2 million for Joe Biden's campaign in a virtual fundraiser that lasted just half an hour, according to reports.

The US singer, who was headlining the LGBTQ-themed event, asked people on the call "do you believe in life after Trump?" – referencing her 1998 hit Believe.

Cher said she had known Mr Biden was "honest and kind" since meeting him for the first time in 2006, the Washington Blade reported.

“He thinks he invited me but really I invited myself. I saw a speech Joe had given and it was love at first speech,” she said.

Joe Biden at a recent campaign event (AP)

“So I went to his office to grill him and I asked him really pointed questions and unlike most politicians, Joe actually listened to me and cared [about] what I had to say. He was honest and kind and smart,” she added.

Cher compared the Democratic presidential candidate to Donald Trump, adding: “Joe is smart enough, he’s kind enough, he’s strong enough.

"I also know that the person, woman, man, camera, TV, in the White House is an idiot. I mean it. No, the guy is really an idiot.”

The singer, whose son Chaz Bono is transgender, hit out at President Trump for policies affecting transgender people, including the ban on serving in the armed forces.

She said: “After all this, Trump has the audacity to say he supports Americans he calls, quote, ‘the gays.’ I’m surprised he doesn’t call them his ‘gay generals.’"

Former Democratic presidential primary candidate Pete Buttigieg also attended (AP)

Mr Biden committed to signing the Equality Act, which would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender in many areas, including employment, housing and public education.

He said: “When I’m president, that changes. I’ll make signing the Equality Act one of the top priorities of my first 100 days.”

He added that he would “build a nation where everybody, everybody is finally not only created equal, but treated equally as well".

Mr Biden thanked Cher and added: "She first supported us way back last winter when it took some guts to do so. Fortunately, guts are something Cher has in abundance.”

The fundraiser was attended by around 500 people, including former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, as well as Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressman David Cicilline.

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