George Clooney has made a strong call for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the US presidential race, just hours after senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi dodged questions about Biden’s continuation. Clooney, a prominent actor and Democratic fundraiser, stated that while Biden has won many battles, “the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.”
Another Hollywood star and fundraiser, Michael Douglas, later expressed to the BBC his concerns about Biden’s chances in the upcoming election.
Despite these concerns, Biden has repeatedly stated his determination to remain the Democratic candidate and defeat Donald Trump, 78, in November.
These celebrity comments followed Pelosi’s remarks, where she joined the growing unease within the party, saying time was “running short” for the 81-year-old Biden to decide whether to stay in the race after his stumbling debate against Trump.
In an op-ed for the New York Times, Clooney wrote that it was “devastating to say it,” but the Joe Biden he met at a fundraising event three weeks ago was not the same Biden from 2010, or even from 2020. “He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,” Clooney said.
The fundraising event, co-hosted by Clooney in Los Angeles, also featured Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, and set a single-night record by raising approximately $30 million (£23 million) for the Biden campaign.
The Biden camp responded to Clooney’s remarks, with an unnamed source telling US media, “The President stayed for over 3 hours [at the fundraiser], while Clooney took a photo quickly and left.” They also noted that Biden had just arrived in Los Angeles from Italy, where he had attended the G7 summit.
Clooney emphasized in his op-ed that party leaders need to acknowledge the reality seen by millions: “This is about age. Nothing more,” he continued. “We are not going to win in November with this president.”
Clooney added that his concerns were shared by “every” member of Congress he had spoken to.
Michael Douglas also voiced his worries about Biden’s potential second term, stating, “I am worried not this week or next week, but let’s say next year.” Despite having held a fundraiser for Biden in April, where he praised Biden’s accomplishments, Douglas stressed the importance of being “articulate” in the current “combative” political climate.
In response to Clooney’s comments, Biden’s campaign pointed to a letter the president sent to Democrats in Congress, affirming his commitment to his candidacy and to defeating Trump.
Nonetheless, public dissent within Biden’s party continues to grow as he faces scrutiny while hosting the NATO summit in Washington.