Sylvia D’Ambrosio on Thursday was in the crowd to listen to remarks by President Biden, who was appearing at a private residence in The Colony for a fundraiser.
A Park City-area resident, D’Ambrosio afterward described the president as someone who cares. She said he spoke about education and his desire to assist the taxpayers of the United States. She described Biden’s comments about his upbringing as well.
“He is the best candidate. He has the best experience. He knows the protocol of government,” she said about Biden.
She also was pleased with his comments about everyday Americans.
“Biden wants to keep the middle class active enough (so that) we have Americans enjoying living in this country,” she said.
D’Ambrosio attended a fundraising event featuring Biden in the Park City area in 2019 as well and once attended a local event with Hillary Clinton in attendance as the former secretary of state raised monies.
She noted Biden, a Democrat, opted to hold a fundraiser in one of the nation’s most reliably Republican states. He was trounced in the state in the 2020 election and likely will struggle in Utah in 2024. The Park City area, though, is solidly Democratic and Biden easily won Summit County in 2020.
“To be seen in a red state shows courage. He’s not going to back down,” D’Ambrosio said.
The people at the event generally contributed $3,300 or $10,000 to attend. The crowd appeared to include people from Park City and surrounding Summit County as well as those from Salt Lake City and the wider Wasatch Front.
Biden was the third president to visit the Park City area since the late 1990s and only the second to hold a fundraiser after George W. Bush attended one late in his presidency.
Biden drew applause at several points, including after a comment about environmental progress, from the appreciative crowd.
Sally Elliott, a Prospector resident who previously held elected office in Park City and Summit County, was also in attendance. She described Biden’s accomplishments as significant and said she was impressed with his manner on Thursday.
Some of the comments that were notable, Elliott said, included statements about the administration’s work for veterans and a desire for U.S. firms to produce microchips. Elliott also said Biden has as much diplomatic and foreign policy experience as anyone serving in Congress. She said he has supported the NATO alliance and European allies as well as provided assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Elliott highlighted his remarks about the economy.
“He didn’t mention Bidenomics by name, but he talked about inflation control,” she said.