President Joe Biden fretted on Tuesday night to wealthy Democratic donors that he would get nothing done and have to spend all his time wielding his veto pen if Republicans win control of Congress in November.
The president, speaking at a fundraiser on Park Avenue hosted by a wealthy Latino activist and attended by actor Robert DeNiro, specifically called out Republican Senator Lindsey Graham's legislation that would ban an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
'If they retake the House and Senate it's a different world,' he warned of Republicans. 'I'll be spending all my time with a veto pen.'
He also acknowledged the criticism he received for telling CBS' 60 Minutes that the pandemic is 'over.'
But he defended his comment, saying: 'But basically it is not where it was.'
Biden arrived in New York to attend the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting. But he went straight from the airport to a fundraiser that raised nearly $2 million for thee Democratic Party.
The focus was on November's Congressional election where Repblicans are favored to win control of the House and possibly the Senate.
'It's about 2022,' Biden told the crowd, his voice growing louder as he emphasized his words. '2022.'
Biden spoke at the Park Avenue condo of longtime activist and fundraiser Henry Munoz III. Munoz , who owns Funny or Die, was finance chair of the Democratic Party under President Barack Obama. The condo was filled with modern art although Munoz apologized to guests for the lack of furniture in his living room, which was emptied out to make room for the nearly 100 guests.
Actor Robert DeNiro was spotted coming out of the area where Biden was taking photos with guests but he left before the president's remarks.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also there.
Biden was in a jovial mood.
'That's probably Trump,' the president joked to much laughter from the crowd when a cell phone went off.
Biden will have a packed day of meetings around the UN on Wednesday.
He will give his speech to the UN General Assembly in the morning and meet with new British Prime Minister Liz Truss in the afternoon.
On Thursday he will attnd another Democratic Party fundraiser before he returns to Washington D.C.