Before publishing his New York Times op-ed calling for Joe Biden’s resignation, Hollywood actor and Democratic Party donor George Clooney reportedly got in contact with former President Barack Obama, who effectively gave him the nod to release it.
According to a new report from Politico, Obama was “in touch” with Clooney prior to him dropping the piece. Obama did not allegedly “encourage or advise” Clooney on what he wrote, but he did not “object to it,” per the contacted sources, despite the fact that Obama defended Biden after his debate performance.
In the op-ed, titled “I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee,” the actor says he first noticed that Biden had significantly declined when he was him with at the fundraiser in LA three weeks ago. He said he was not the Joe Biden of 2010, who spiritedly said Obamacare was a “big f***ing deal,” nor was he even the Biden of 2020.
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,” Clooney wrote. “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, whom we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.
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. 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 who I’ve spoken with in private. Every single one, irrespective of what he or she is saying publicly.
Clooney’s article came as a complete reversal of his position, when he attended the fundraiser for Biden with Obama alongside Julia Roberts, Barbara Streisand, Jack Black, and other Hollywood stars. Roberts and Clooney took a photo with Obama and Biden to show support. The event raised $30 million for the Biden campaign, a record thus far in the incumbent’s bid for re-election. Among the ticket buyers were Mindy Kaling, Jeff Ross, and Jordan Peele.
A complete reversal for Obama, too, for that matter. The former president, having been cold to Biden when he first started to express interest in running for the 2020 election, has since campaigned heavily for his former Vice. He has been featured in dozens of election fundraising commercials for the Biden campaign and spearheaded a large fundraiser with President Bill Clinton in New York. In 2020, he famously “made the call” to convince Democratic candidates to drop out of the race and allow Biden to become the nominee.
Nancy Pelosi refused to say whether she wants Biden to run, saying she will support his decision regardless of what it will be. Taken aback, the host of the MSNBC reminded her that Biden has already decided—to which she strangely reiterated that she will support his future decision.
According to a source close to Pelosi, “those comments were meant to serve as a subtle green light,” designed to “encourage members to speak up about their desire to see change atop the ticket — and to warn Biden to reconsider staying in the race.”
