Former Vice President Joe Biden hours ahead of launching his presidential campaign urged top donors and supporters to contribute heavily in the first 24 hours and first week following his announcement.
Biden said world leaders had called him, "almost begging me to do this, to save our country, save the world," according to three sources who spoke with Politico.
"The money's important. We're going to be judged by what we can do in the first 24 hours, the first week," Biden said Wednesday during a conference call with top donors and supporters.
"People think Iowa and New Hampshire are the first test," Biden said. "It's not. The first 24 hours. That's the first test. Those [early states] are way down the road. We've got to get through this first."
Per The Washington Post, Biden, 76, is set to announce his run for president Thursday in a video. He is expected to travel to Pittsburgh, Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina over the next week for campaign events.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., topped Democrats in the fundraising race in the first quarter, bringing in $18.2 million, followed by Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. (nearly $12 million), former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke ($9.4 million) and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (nearly $7 million).
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