In a Wednesday New York Times op-ed, George Clooney expressed concerns about U.S. President Joe Biden's debate performances, and ability to defeat Donald Trump. The actor urged Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Clooney has proposed selecting a new nominee like Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Governor Wes Moore, Governor Andy Beshear, or Governor J.B. Pritzker at the Democratic National Convention to revitalize the party and engage voters.
Some Democratic senators, lawmakers, and House members, including Rep. Pat Ryan, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Ilhan Omar, and Michael Bennet, have publicly called on Biden to withdraw, citing concerns about his age and performance.
While some Democrats are lukewarm on Biden's candidacy, others, including Black Democratic lawmakers and voters, remain staunch supporters. Biden has surrounded himself with allies and reaffirmed his commitment to running in 2024.
Recent polls show Trump with a slight lead over Biden, raising concerns within the Democratic Party about their prospects in the presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives elections.
Donald Trump criticized Clooney for weighing in on the presidential race, mocking him and questioning his knowledge, while also disparaging Biden and accusing him of damaging democracy during his presidency.
Biden's actions, statements, and performance are being closely watched for signs of age-related frailty or ill health. He has attributed poor debate performance to jetlag and a cold but remains committed to running for re-election.
Biden's campaign team has responded to criticisms, insisting he will continue his candidacy and is working to shore up support among Democrats.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: CBS News, Quotidiano, The Daily Beast, Newsweek, BBC, AP News, Wall Street Journal, Metro TV News.