Once a staunch supporter and major donor for President Joe Biden in Hollywood, George Clooney urged Biden to step out of the presidential race on Wednesday, weeks after leading a significant fundraiser for Biden’s reelection campaign.
“I love Joe Biden,” Clooney expressed in a New York Times op-ed. “As a senator, vice president, and president. I consider him a friend and believe in him.”
However, Clooney noted that the Biden he saw at the June 15 fundraiser, which also featured former President Barack Obama, “was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020.”
Clooney pointed out that Biden appeared similarly diminished during the June 27 presidential debate on CNN, which was attributed by the White House and Biden’s campaign to a cold and a tiring travel schedule.
This statement from Clooney, someone who has interacted with Biden privately, indicates that Biden’s performance at the debate was not an isolated incident. Clooney’s longstanding relationship with Biden dates back to Biden’s vice-presidential days, where Clooney frequently visited the White House.
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Despite Biden’s criticism of the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—a decision Clooney’s wife, Amal Clooney, helped craft—Clooney maintained his support for Biden. Clooney is seen as an influential figure in Hollywood, rallying donor and celebrity support for Biden.
When asked for a response, Biden’s campaign referred to a letter Biden wrote to Congress on Monday, stating his intention to stay in the race.
Clooney’s op-ed marks a significant shift in Hollywood’s support, as several Democrats have also urged Biden to step aside due to concerns about his age and mental acuity. The June 15 fundraiser, which Clooney headlined, raised $28 million for Biden’s campaign, the largest amount from a single event in Democratic Party history.
Clooney called on key Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, to encourage Biden to step down. He emphasized that Biden’s continued candidacy jeopardizes the Democrats’ chances in November, advocating for other potential candidates like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Many Democrats, stunned by recent developments, had expected a resolution post-NATO conference. However, Clooney’s public call, along with a CNN report on a canceled Chicago fundraiser, suggests growing dissatisfaction.
Rob Reiner, another Hollywood Democrat, echoed Clooney’s sentiments on social media, calling for Biden to step aside. Actor Michael Douglas also supported Clooney’s viewpoint, expressing concern about Biden’s candidacy despite the Democrats’ strong bench of potential candidates.
As Biden engages in critical NATO meetings, the pressure from Hollywood and within his own party mounts, challenging his reelection bid.
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