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Appeal backed by former presidents raises $31M

Posted at 1:02 PM, Oct 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-22 14:41:50-04

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The five living former presidents have attended a concert to benefit victims of hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Barack Obama, George W. Bush, George H.W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter called on Americans to donate to the appeal that has raised $31 million so far. They avoided politics in their remarks and none of them mentioned President Donald Trump.

President George H.W. Bush did not address the crowd but smiled and waved from the stage. The 93-year-old elder Bush suffers from a form of Parkinson’s disease and appeared in a wheelchair at the event.

Grammy award winner Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance at the concert.