George Clooney has called on Democrat leaders to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Clooney, who co-hosted a star-studded fundraiser for Biden last month, is calling on the president to be a “hero” and step aside.
In an op-ed for The New York Times, the hunky actor cited concerns over Biden’s age, and apparent cognitive decline.
Clooney compared the president’s appearance at the fundraiser to Biden’s lethargic appearance at a debate with former President Donald Trump on June 26.
Clooney wrote: “I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced.
“But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe big F-ing deal Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”
In the Times op ed, Clooney also wrote that he was not convinced by Biden’s excuses to George Stephanopoulos for his disastrous performance at the debate.
Clooney wrote, “Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw. We’re all so terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term that we’ve opted to ignore every warning sign. The George Stephanopoulos interview only reinforced what we saw the week before. As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, who we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.”
Clooney continued, “This is about age. Nothing more. But also nothing that can be reversed. We are not going to win in November with this president. On top of that, we won’t win the House, and we’re going to lose the Senate. This isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly.”
Clooney is the latest powerful Hollywood figure to call on Biden to drop out of the race. Rob Reiner and Stephen King also urged Biden to step down.
Clooney called on top Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries and Nancy Pelosi, to ask Biden to voluntarily step down. In an appearance on Morning Joe on Wednesday, Pelosi suggested that Biden reconsider staying in the race.
Clooney did not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, but she is favored by Democrat leaders, who all pledged their support for Biden publicly.
.@VP Kamala Harris ? ?? #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/xJKLeteg0Z
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 10, 2024
On Tuesday, Harris made a surprise visit to Team USA Men’s Basketball team in Las Vegas. On Wednesday, July 10, she will speak at the AKA’s 71st Boule Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Political insiders say Harris is ready to replace Biden on the ballot if he drops out of the race.
