United States President Joe Biden mourned the death of late TV producer Norman Lear by attending Shiva during his California fundraising trip.
The late Lear was known for "All in the Family," "Maude," "The Jeffersons," and "One Day at a Time." The announcement of his death was made this week, noting that he was aged 101 and that he passed due to natural causes.
Joe Biden Attends Shiva for Norman Lear's Death
The Democratic president said Lear was a "transformational force in American culture." He said the late TV producer's trailblazing shows redefined television with courage, conscience, and humor. He was said to have opened the nation's eyes and often its people's hearts.
Biden also said that Lear never shied away from controversial topics and took on issues including racism, class, divorce, and abortion. He said that the late TV producer captured the grace and dignity in people's lives.
During Lear's decades of political advocacy, the president noted that he fought directly for free speech, a woman's right to choose, the environment, voting rights, and many others. The Shiva is a week-long Jewish mourning tradition held at the home Lear shared with his wife, Lyn, as per CBS News.
The Democratic president and first lady Jill Biden were in Los Angeles this weekend for campaign events. During his efforts, the president warned donors that his predecessor, former United States President Donald Trump, threatens the country's democracy.
During one of the fundraisers, the first lady said she was so grateful that her husband was the president during these tumultuous times. She noted that the Democrat is the right person for the job, adding that he is the only person.
Last week, the Biden-Harris campaign said that the coast-to-coast fundraising tour is expected to raise more than $15 million through fundraisers in Boston, Washington, and Los Angeles in five days. The money would also be supplemented from those raised through its ongoing small-dollar fundraising campaign.
Impact on America's People
Before attending the Shiva at the Lear residence, Biden also paid tribute to the late TV producer at a Hollywood-centric fundraiser for the Biden-Harris re-election campaign. During that event, the president said Lear's cast of characters painted a fuller picture of America, according to Deadline.
Biden cited Lear's transformational force in American culture, noting his decades of political advocacy. The president said that the late TV producer had an impact well beyond the influence of his shows.
Biden's wife attended a fundraiser on Saturday afternoon at NeueHouse Hollywood that Matthew Crowley and Martha Leon De La Barra hosted. At the event, the first lady said that she wished the election was about simple policy differences or differences in character or merit. She said that it was fundamentally about democracy.
There was also a gathering of protesters on Friday afternoon over US funding of Israeli military strikes in Gaza. One demonstrator held a sign that read, "No votes for mass murderer." Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said that an unlawful assembly and dispersal order was issued at one point because of the protesters' actions, said NBC Los Angeles.
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