In a recent development, renowned actor and staunch Democrat George Clooney has defended his call for a change in the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the 2024 elections.
Clooney, in a conversation with CNN's Jake Tapper, articulated his divergence from President Joe Biden as a matter of principle.
Clooney, known for his civic engagement, stated, "It was a civic duty." He went on to explain that his decision was driven by perceived dishonesty within his political circle. "Im a Democrat in Kentucky so I get it. When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought that was time," he further elaborated.
The actor, who last year hosted a high-profile fundraiser that amassed over $30 million for Bidens 2024 campaign, took many by surprise when he penned a guest essay for the New York Times. In this piece, Clooney urged Biden to step aside, despite praising his record. He wrote, "In the last four years, hes won many of the battles hes faced. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time."
According to Fox News, Clooney's essay was published following Biden's less-than-stellar debate performance against Donald Trump, which sparked concern within the Democratic Party. Subsequently, Biden withdrew from the race, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the party's nomination.
In his essay, Clooney also commented on Biden's diminishing presence, drawing a stark contrast between the Biden he knew and the man he saw towards the end of his term. "Its 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 wasnt even the Joe Biden of 2020," he wrote. "He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate."
During the CNN interview, Tapper commended Clooney's honesty, describing it as "brave," a sentiment not universally echoed within the Democratic Party. Clooney acknowledged the backlash he has faced since the essay's publication but remained steadfast. "The idea of freedom of speech, the specific idea of it is, you know you cant demand freedom of speech and then say, But dont say bad things about me. Thats the deal, you have to take a stand if you believe in it," he said. "Take a stance, stand for it, and then deal with the consequences. Thats the rules."
Clooney supported Harris, the partys eventual nominee, and lauded Bidens decision to step aside, describing it as "saving democracy once again."
Biden, since leaving office, has been vocal about his disapproval of recent policy changes under a second Trump administration. His keynote address, delivered on Tuesday, lasted less than an hour.
A recently released book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," offers fresh insights into the final months of Bidens presidency. The book's author, Chris Whipple, a former "60 Minutes" producer, suggests that Bidens inner circle increasingly limited his contact with longtime friends and allies to conceal his alleged decline.
The book also reveals Clooney's outrage at an MSNBC segment that insinuated his essay may have been influenced by former President Barack Obama. Whipple writes that Clooney "went absolutely ballistic" over the implication, demonstrating the actor's commitment to his own principles and his belief in the importance of honest political discourse.
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