WASHINGTON: Actor George Clooney, a prominent Democratic Party fundraiser, made an impassioned plea on Wednesday for President Joe Biden to end his struggling reelection campaign.
Clooney, a key figure in Hollywood supporting Democrats, joined a chorus of voices urging Biden, 81, to step aside following his poor debate performance against rival candidate Donald Trump last month.
In an op-ed for the New York Times, Clooney expressed his admiration for Biden, whom he considers a friend and believes in. However, he emphasized the inevitability of Biden’s battle against time.
“As a lifelong Democrat,” Clooney wrote, “I co-hosted a fundraiser with Biden in Los Angeles just last month, where we raised a record $28 million.”
Reflecting on Biden’s performance, Clooney noted, “The Joe Biden I saw at the fundraiser three weeks ago wasn’t the ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010, or even the Biden of 2020. He was the same as we saw during the debate.”
Clooney pointed out the growing public calls from Democratic lawmakers for Biden to withdraw, citing figures like Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Nancy Pelosi, urging more to join.
“The Democratic Party should consider contenders like Vice President Kamala Harris, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and others,” he wrote, “and then make a decision at the Democratic convention next month.”
Clooney dismissed concerns about potential chaos from Biden’s exit so close to the election, while refraining from endorsing any specific replacement candidate.
