George Clooney Urges Joe Biden to Withdraw from Presidential Race Due to Age Concerns
In a candid New York Times op-ed, George Clooney, a lifelong Democrat and prominent donor, has called for President Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming election, citing concerns about his age.
“The one battle he cannot win is the fight against time,” Clooney wrote. “None of us can. It's devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser 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.”
Clooney, who recently participated in a highly successful fundraiser for the Biden-Harris campaign, emphasized that his concerns are shared by many within the Democratic Party, including senators, congressional members, and governors. “Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly,” he noted.
The actor highlighted the importance of acknowledging these concerns, writing, “Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. This is about age. Nothing more. But also nothing that can be reversed.”
Clooney's appeal comes after observing Biden's performance at a fundraiser and subsequent debate, which led him to believe that the president is not the same as he was in previous years. “We are not going to win in November with this president,” Clooney asserted. “On top of that, we won't win the House, and we're going to lose the Senate.”
Clooney called on top Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Nancy Pelosi, to encourage Biden to voluntarily step aside. He also mentioned Vice President Kamala Harris, Governors Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom as potential candidates who could step forward for the nomination.
“Would it be messy? Yes. Democracy is messy,” Clooney continued. “But would it enliven our party and wake up voters who, long before the June debate, had already checked out? It sure would.”
In his concluding remarks, Clooney praised Biden's past contributions, stating, “Joe Biden is a hero; he saved democracy in 2020. We need him to do it again in 2024.”
