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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy George Clooney Is Facing Major Backlash From Fans About Presidential Election
George Clooney has been a celebrity leader in the Democratic Party for decades, but in the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris loss on Tuesday, Nov. 4, he might be rethinking his position. Some of his fans are criticizing him for his very vocal opinion to have President Joe Biden step aside and let someone else run for the White House this year.
In July, the 63-year-old actor wrote a controversial op-ed for The New York Times titled, I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee. Even though Clooney said he adored the man, he also claimed that the presidents cognitive health was in decline.
In the last four years, hes won many of the battles hes faced, Clooney wrote after Joe Bidens lackluster debate performance on June 27. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. Its devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe big F-ing deal Biden of 2010. He wasnt even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.
Clooney led the wave of other political figures to oust Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic Party nominee which ushered in the movement for Vice President Kamala Harris to run. Now that the dust has settled and Donald Trump is the president-elect, the social media critics have chimed in.
-more-
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-george-clooney-facing-major-164525303.html
BluenFLA
(166 posts)They pushed Biden out and while we'll never know if he would have won a second term, considering how the election turned out maybe we should have taken our chances with him.
BTW nothing against Harris but I still feel he would have squeaked out a win and even if he lost it would have been closer.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,668 posts)Elessar Zappa
(16,077 posts)His polls showed him down by double digits in a blue state, Nevada, and losing all the swing states handily (also double digits). It would have been very hard to turn that around.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)So what was the point?
RoeVWade
(271 posts)nt#
He barely won in 2020 and his numbers this time around were much worse.
This problem is systemic.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)I always believed that forcing Biden out so close to the election was stupid. It was not going to accomplish a desired outcome.
dansolo
(5,385 posts)Biden should have planned for only one term. For one thing, not worrying about re-election could have freed him up to do more radical things. Don't get me wrong, he did a spectacular job with what he had to deal with. But faced with the inflationary effects, incumbency was actually a negative. By the time they made the switch, it was already too late. A primary at that point would have been a disaster. My fault with the people who pushed him out was that they waited too long.
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)And I agree with the people that are frustrated that he didn't bow out earlier.
CrispyQ
(38,585 posts)A primary would have been interesting but I don't know if there was anyone else who could have beat Trump, even a white man. ???
Deminpenn
(16,347 posts)I saw a lot of grim, umsiling faces heading into my polling place when I stopped by to check my absentee ballot was on their list. My precinct is about 2/3rds R and turns out at 70-80%, so the voters I saw were most likely Rs.
If Biden had been able to stay in the race, I think Dems wouldn't have been thrilled, but they'd have trudged out and voted for him. He probably would've won PA and the macho men unions like firefighters and building trades would've supported him because they know what the infrastructure bills has done for them and their members. Too many Dems and others looked at Biden's physical frailty and equated it with mental frailyy. The other factor is that age had made Biden's congenital stuttering not as easily covered up as when he was younger. His speech couldn't keep up with his thoughts leading to garbled sentences. His campaign should've asked for an accomodation of that at the July debate and from the media in general. Not any different from the deference Fetterman gets for having to use a speech to text device to help him after his stroke left him with an audio deficit.
happy feet
(1,114 posts)BUT he was ill equipped to beat the anti Dem media machine which relentlessly nit picked Biden and gave the red carpet treatment to Trump's lies, felonies, etc. His mind was no longer quick enough to counter Trump during the debates...he was still honorable believing American wouldn't re elect a convicted felon with no morals.
Native
(6,672 posts)...cracking the code so to speak. it had to do with Biden's favorability numbers. As you know they were in the 30's. In past elections, incumbent presidents received the same percentage of votes as their favorability rating at the end of their term, and VP's are impacted by this as well. In light of that, Harris did incredibly better than the numbers predicted. Here's a link. That discussion with Dowd starts around the 4:20 mark, but Nicole's opening statement before that is also worth a listen. She's calling for people to stay engaged, as is Biden.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nicolle-wallace-it-s-time-to-get-to-work/vi-AA1tHxxi
tanyev
(44,733 posts)but I was encouraged by how quickly everything solidified for Harris. And then I got excited by all the enthusiasm for her.
In hindsight, it looks like Trump would have won either way (yecch), but it was damn satisfying to see him completely lose his s**t over Harris.
bif
(24,246 posts)He truly was a great president. He got so much done. And, he was a good person as well.
AkFemDem
(2,194 posts)hlthe2b
(106,752 posts)But, backbiting among our own is so damned self-defeating--especially now.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)It was couple of weeks prior to the convention. What did they think it was going to accomplish?
Doodley
(10,452 posts)But voters think Trump is better. The myth that Trump is a great businessman and therefore great for the economy has never been busted. If Democrats can't even solve the problem that results from Trump sucking up all the oxygen and denigrating and redefining Biden, as he did with Hilary Clinton, while taking credit for everything good, tell me how could Joe have won?
onenote
(44,805 posts)In 2024, leading up to his dropping out of the race, he was stuck at around 36-40 percent approval. He actually got a bit of a boost in his ratings when he dropped out, which should tell you something. His numbers among independents were even worse.
Yes misogyny played a role in Harris's defeat. But so did voters' association of her with the Biden administration and the Biden administration, simply put, wasn't all that popular. Hell, even among Democrats, Biden's favorability ratings in 2024 were in the 80s, not the 90s as one would expect. There was a huge jump in enthusiasm among Democrats when Biden dropped out and was replaced by Harris. But the reality is that the result was already pretty much baked in.
Deep State Witch
(11,355 posts)One of those "FJB" flags that they sell at the MAGA rallies. Because that's what he did. F*cked Joe Biden.
kerry-is-my-prez
(9,409 posts)LisaL
(46,754 posts)Is that why we are about to have president Trump? I have to live here, while Clooney can go live in his European Villa.
I don't have an European villa to live in.
AkFemDem
(2,194 posts)Biden's approval ratings were absolutely tanked. If he'd had a good shot- Kamala would have won. In retrospect, she should have distanced herself more from him.
whathehell
(29,873 posts)she should have "distanced herself more" from him?
Skittles
(160,301 posts)Biden was never going to win either.
SharonClark
(10,351 posts)Not Clooney.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)It's not like Trump is a spring chicken.
Skittles
(160,301 posts)repukes are treated like white men, Dems are treated like women and POC
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)it's an uncomfortable reality.
Trump is all the horrible things. He's old, addle brained, stupid, narcissistic, angry, defiant, mean spirited. But over half the country preferred him to Harris, and MORE preferred him to Biden.
We need to grapple with that.
True Dough
(20,839 posts)It was a global problem, not just an American one, and the Fed tamed it better than almost any other nation. But the outcome was still much higher prices for consumers. When that puts the squeeze on many lower-income and sometimes low-information voters, and you have this orange salesman promising he'll improve life for you, unfortunately, too many people take the bait.
CentralMass
(15,598 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(100,361 posts)It wasn't deserved but that's of no moment. Every incumbent presidential candidate or the candidate from the same party has always lost with that low an approval rating-Stevenson, Humphrey, Carter, GWHB, and McCain lost. Kamala Harris won 15% of the vote of voters who disapproved of Biden. That was phenomenal but not enough.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)SharonClark
(10,351 posts)Im sure George Clooney doesnt care and I dont either. Clooney did the right thing when Democratic leaders and those in the White House tried to gaslight Democrats who knew Joe was not up to campaigning.
These whiners need to move on because weve got bigger problems than their never ending and misplaced anger with George Clooney.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)He can go to his villa in France and live there while we suffer. Because we don't have a villa in France.
kwolf68
(7,876 posts)We are not having this conversation. I truly believe Biden wins in 2016, but it was Hillary's "turn". I realize Joe was PBO's Veep, but Biden is his own man and in his prime he was a lethal killer. Unbeatable. Hell, even a "diminished" Joe won in 2020. But he could never have seen this campaign to the end.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(116,480 posts)He wasn't much in the mood for running.
He says the reason he ran in 2020 was because Trump was fucking things up so badly.
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)I expected him to run in 2016. To me, he seemed like the obvious successor to Obama.
MichMan
(13,553 posts)In the last 75 years, only once has the same political party won three presidential elections in a row. Historically after 8 years, people are ready for a change.
standingtall
(2,994 posts)If your going to demand an incumbent President step down. Then you better win. We are 0 for 2 now when we forced a sitting President not to run for reelection. George Clooney doesn't even live in the U.S. but France so his money insulates him from the immediate consequence that he used his money to influence.
Florida Dem
(36 posts)I find it extremely unlikely that Biden would have won this election after his disastrous debate performance. That was an absolute death blow from which there was no way to fully recover. It strongly reinforced an existing narrative that was plaguing his candidacy. As soon as Harris entered the race, she dramatically improved in the polls over Biden. I feel certain we ran the stronger candidate in this race. Nothing against Biden. I think he's been an outstanding President. Everybody's entitled to their opinion.
In my opinion the problem is not Biden or Harris. It is the clueless electorate that is extremely susceptible to propaganda and misinformation. A horrible sickness has infested the soul of this nation. I think we have to recognize that this was the overriding reason for the shellacking. Time will tell if we will ever be able to wrest back control from these maniacal fascists in the foreseeable future. Their susceptibility to absurd propaganda and misinformation is a science fiction level phenomenon. Worse yet, it is combined with a disturbing level of viciousness and bloodlust. Let's hold together and try not to look for ways to divide ourselves based on events that have already taken place. We had a great candidate who ran a flawless campaign and we left it all out on the field.
LisaM
(28,747 posts)Of course it wouldn't have mattered to Trump supporters but it would have made Clooney seem less of a hypocrite. I also think he was (wrongly) somehow blaming Biden for the war in Gaza, which was at the best of Amal Clooney and, in my mind, completely unfair.
People also choose to ignore that the timing of the debate didn't favor Biden, who had just travelled to something like 13 countries and just finished negotiating the release of five hostages. That would have worn out anyone.
pstokely
(10,722 posts)And with the rest of the Hollywood donor base, asked privately
His stupid public op-ed was damaging. I doubt it made any difference to Bidens decision, only embarrassed him.
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)The billionaire donors and Pelosi should have called a meeting with him privately before publicly humiliating him, which they did. Pelosi also threatened to do more by releasing poor internal polling. Then she said she had no problem with Joe but just that she didn't like the way his campaign was being run. Then that should have been addressed and fixed in a private meeting. All of the, "Hey we love you and you're the greatest (now GTFO)" was rotten and ruthless, imo. She said he hasn't spoken to her since. Gee, ya think, Nancy? SMH.
JI7
(90,879 posts)I think a white Male that worked as hard as Kamala did and came off as good as she did could have won . Or a younger Joe Biden would have been more pubic throughout his time in office and that would have helped him win also.
Obama is the only non white candidate that would have won .
Inflation did hurt but also sexism.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)NT
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)Still a loss
LisaL
(46,754 posts)But the whole idea of forcing out a sitting president a couple of weeks before convention is stupid. And for no other reason is that he is old.
Meanwhile an old Trump is apparently just fine.
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)Joe Biden was a great President, but for whatever reason, it just wasn't getting through to people.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)NT
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)Let them run their unpopular candidate.
We can only worry about our house.
The polling around people's feelings about the economy were never good, which was unfair to Joe Biden. However, they blamed him for it. It stuck to him. It stuck to the administration and they were never able to shake it. It's why they stopped all the messaging about how good the economy is doing.
Response to LisaL (Reply #25)
Elessar Zappa This message was self-deleted by its author.
Jk23
(455 posts)It would have been a lot more ugly.
flvegan
(64,653 posts)The party should have maybe thought of something in advance before they sent a (very qualified and amazing) Joe Biden to take the presidency at 79. Add 4 years, add 8 years to that. They knew we'd have an 82 year old candidate at the time.
Just something to consider in the future. It's not Clooney's fault. I believe Biden's candidacy (rather than Harris') would have been even worse come election time. Not that we'll ever know.
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)Perhaps they could have suggested it but Joe Biden believed he could win.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)How could he stay if members of his own party demanded he stepped down?
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)Two unpopular people going against each other, the winner seemed like a coin flip. You didn't know whether it be heads or tails. It could have been anyone's guess. Maybe Joe Biden could win, maybe not.
The economic polling wasn't good, everyone hating inflation, Joe's approval numbers also not good... but the general feeling was that if Joe Biden had an even shot against anyone, it would be Trump. Everyone was pretty certain Trump would be their nominee.
I'm sure you know the political norm like I do that you don't push aside your incumbent so everyone steered clear and left it up to him.
The Party didn't pressure him until it became super clear it seemed like Joe Biden would lose against the other unpopular guy. It didn't become obvious that he should step aside until it was too late.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)The only thing that is happening to us now.
In It to Win It
(9,765 posts)I don't regret the switch. I think Kamala Harris gave us a better fighting chance than we would have had with Joe Biden.
I would have loved a second Biden term if it was in the cards. I just didn't think it was in the cards for us. I would have supported him regardless if he had stayed in. I made another post saying that I voted for him 2020 thinking he would only do one term and voluntarily step aside. I still thought that up until the moment it became clear he was running for re-election.
He's passed some of the greatest one-in-a-generation policy. I wanted to see that legacy continue and shape the country. Unfortunately and unfair for Joe Biden, I wasn't that confident he would win. I couldn't feel that his industrial policy was getting through to people. People didn't seem to attribute the factory being built in their towns to Joe Biden even though it only happened because of legislation Joe Biden negotiated and signed. There didn't seem to be any effective communicators for that message. Pete Buttigieg couldn't be in all places at once telling people about this. People just didn't seem to connect the dots that that is the type of things Joe Biden and Democrats are working on.
I felt that legacy would maybe have to continue with another Democrat, unconnected to the administration, who could effectively communicate that message. They couldn't blame someone who is not in the White House for inflation. I'm even more certain of that opinion now after seeing the results.
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)HE should have made the decision not to run again back in January. That was his fault.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)He could barely get into a garbage truck. Half of a time Trump just blabbers some gibberish.
So obviously one doesn't have to be fit for this.
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)But his voters think he is.
Biden didnt have the numbers of voters who thought he was for that he needed.
Thats just reality, unfortunately.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)Democrats should have done the same thing republicans did, ignore the obvious issues and spin that everything is great.
Obviously spin works much better than the truth. And by way, it's clear Biden is still much sharper than Trump could ever be.
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)They, unlike me, are unwilling to face difficult truths?
When there is a cult of personality surrounding a person, people don't think rationally?
Trump was a terrible candidate. He was a terrible president. The proof was up there for us all to see. BUT, his people don't care. Joe Biden didn't have that cult of personality surrounding him. For better or for worse, that's just the way it was.
emulatorloo
(45,591 posts)Guy had a bad cold on Debate night. What a huge overreaction.
Especially when most of the focus groups came out of the debate saying it reminded them how horrible and self centered Trump is.
Dorian Gray
(13,736 posts)his poll numbers were in the hole. That is reality. I know we don't like polls anymore, but there is genuine physical proof that his numbers were worse than Kamala's. Not vibes. It's literally just vibes to think he was doing better.
CentralMass
(15,598 posts)LisaL
(46,754 posts)so they forced him out a couple weeks prior to the convention. How did that work out?
sunnybrook
(1,232 posts)Joe knew he was the only candidate in 2020 that could beat Trump. Of course 2024 was also an emergency.
TheKentuckian
(26,314 posts)The point of view comes off as telling me that the issue is my lying ass eyes and ears.
Biden was no longer a capable communicator other than with prepared statements and never was great to begin with plus he now signals as very frail.
Part of the reason his approval is so low is because he couldn't sell his accomplishments while being able to convey in a meaningful way that there was more to do.
He had no business seeking another term despite deserving one on the merits because his campaign was a dumpterfire and dug a deep hole.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)Half of the time, Trump didn't even appear to know where he was.
AZSkiffyGeek
(12,663 posts)Yes, apparently half the country does see him as fit.
I dont. But I didnt vote for hiim.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)Yes, Biden is old, but so is Trump. Trump is clearly not healthy, either physically or mentally.
Why was age only concern with Biden but not Trump?
AZSkiffyGeek
(12,663 posts)They nominated him.
I saw the footage from the Clooney fundraiser- Biden looked confused and disoriented until Obama led him offstage. He didnt recognize a friend he mentored at the D-Day rally. And that debate was beyond horrible and seemed to confirm all the rumors that had started months before May and Junes public appearances.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)I understand that Biden is no spring chicken. But couple of weeks before the convention was too late to make him drop out. It would have been a lot better to claim that Biden is totally fit, just as republicans do when it comes to Trump.
TheKentuckian
(26,314 posts)That doesn't fix Biden and actually made it look even worse.
Sundowning ass mad king buttery fucking Chump could present as more hale and forceful.
Biden is much more coherent BUT you too often have to bust out a transcript to demonstrate the fact and sometimes the transcript would also contain an uncomfortable amount of WTF as well but at least Joe was generally cognizant and knowledgeable.
Certainly not nutso going on about Hannibal Lecter and cancerous windmills.
However, that was easily washed away by whispy stuttering, rambling and just looking like he could blow away if someone opened a door too quickly or sneezed too hard.
Biden also seemed in no way physically up for the campaign and his day job at the same time.
I'm not sure he was even up for in 2020 as a private citizen and Covid made his run situationally possible.
Chump didn't have to manage the nation and much of the world on top of seeking office so he was going to be at an apparent vitality and footprint advantage.
It sucks. It isn't "fair" but it seems wild to me to deny the reality especially when the media environment is also considered.
Hassler
(3,782 posts)Through Biden under the bus to explain why we didn't win the WH and the Senate. Maybe not the House, but TBD
standingtall
(2,994 posts)because they had supposedly internal polling that showed Senators running ahead of him and that he might cost them the house and senate. Will Biden was forced out and if they capture the house their going to have nothing to show for it. You can't tell me if we didn't throw him under the bus, instead put a spin team around him that wouldn't have helped.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)Bad debate-spin it as a best debate ever.
exboyfil
(18,035 posts)When it comes to politics.
voris820
(27 posts)that had voted for Biden in 2020. Was it because they were for Biden and angry when he was forced out? It'll be interesting to find out who they are.
JohnSJ
(96,810 posts)can go f**k itself, because that is just what they have done.
JohnSJ
(96,810 posts)let it go, and everyday would be hearing how he had cognitive issues.
Look at what the media did to Hillary 11 days before the election, based on the LIE that the email investigation was reopened.
Our illustrious corporate media has had a thing against Democrats ever since that jackass Bernard Goldberg wrote the book "Bias" accusing the media of having a "liberal" bias, the news organizations have gone out of their way to show they weren't liberal by playing bothsiderisms, even to the detriment of blurring the facts.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)that were disastrous. Or should have been. Trump's own debate performance against Harris, for one.
If Biden had a bad debate, it should have been just span as a best debate ever. Isn't that how it works for Trump?
JohnSJ
(96,810 posts)LisaL
(46,754 posts)NT
JohnSJ
(96,810 posts)ignoring trumps lies and incoherence.
Those that did try to point out that Biden did address the issues, were quickly ignored or brushed aside.
The media was out for blood against him.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)MSM ignored obvious signs of Trump's mental deterioration while harping on every little thing that Biden has said.
JohnSJ
(96,810 posts)stories on Hillary far surpassed any negative coverage on trump by a signifiant number.
Ironically both Hillary and Harris wiped the floor with trump in their debates, but it didn't matter.
The media, especially the damn social media bears a lot of responsibility for putting trump in power, and once he occupies the White House again, most of them will fall in line like the good little puppets they are.
RandiFan1290
(6,452 posts)Exactly what he wanted.
Mr. Sparkle
(3,149 posts)I would like to see them named and shamed.
SADAR
(7 posts)I'm glad he's getting backlash. May he end up like Mel Gibson.
Lovie777
(15,211 posts)and the Democratic party will still remain strong.
live love laugh
(14,552 posts)They should go to hell.
BluenFLA
(166 posts)Last edited Fri Nov 8, 2024, 08:21 AM - Edit history (2)
Just like Musk, Thiel and the other billionaires control the Republicans (and forced Trump to pick Vance as VP), what happened with Biden exposed the powers behind the scenes who call the shots.
I remember how senators like Tester and Brown and that one in NM demanded Biden step down because their mega donors threatened to withhold support. Many of these people worked closely with Biden, didn't they see sooner than the public that he had issues? Why didn't they prod him to drop out sooner to allow time for a primary?
They reap what they sow, unfortunately we all have to pay the price.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)In fact I am pretty sure that both Tester and Brown would have been better off if Biden didn't drop out.
Jk23
(455 posts)I love Joe Biden but he was no shape to run for president this year.
I'm not going to criticize a man who wrote it op-ed pointing out the emperor had no clothes particularly when he appeared on television naked for an hour and a half less than a month earlier.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)Or demanding Trump step down?
ellemb
(100 posts)Clouds Passing
(2,697 posts)Last edited Fri Nov 15, 2024, 10:05 AM - Edit history (1)
Jose Garcia
(2,918 posts)It is unlikely that an unpopular incumbent President would have done any better.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)We don't even know if she could have won a democratic primary, since she never went through primaries before 2024 election. We know she didn't do well in primaries before 2020 election.
Ysabel
(2,080 posts)Poo on him...
XanaDUer2
(14,602 posts)He and his wife will be fine.
He and his wife will be fine, living in a villa in France. While we have to suffer Trump presidency right here in the US.
Must be nice
PennRalphie
(322 posts)Why Bidens team agreed to that is mind boggling. They should have said no debate. The republicans would have bitched and moan, but so what? Biden could have controlled the media and the narrative.
Clooneys villa on Lake Como, he bought it for 11 or 12 million dollars. Any of you have a house worth that? Why he was chosen to send that message was so wrong.
Jack Valentino
(1,510 posts)He's the one who started the stampede on our side.
And there are two Democratic senators who also publicly asked Biden to withdraw,
who won't be senators anymore, come January. Unfortunately.
LisaL
(46,754 posts)One of them is in a state I live in. Not having Biden on top of the ticket, if that what they were worried about, didn't help them one bit.
Clouds Passing
(2,697 posts)They should never have allowed him to run again. They orchestrated this fiasco. The big question is why?
Also, they never got out in the media the good things that Joe was doing for regular people. WTH!!! Thats why his ratings were so low. Joe ratings wouldve been sky high if the amazing things hes doing were plastered all over the media. Instead, they were hidden like an unwanted stepchild.
Then theres the garland problem.
I will never watch another Clooney anything ever again. Done with that arrogant jerk.
republianmushroom
(18,179 posts)Emile
(30,781 posts)kansasobama
(1,546 posts)Bottom line was, when they played their risky hand, they better win. What they achieved was a MAGA trifecta. Sorry. Clooney and Pelosi deserve the harshest rebuke. You ashamed a decent human being in Biden and did not reap rewards. So, you must face criticism.
Passages
(1,430 posts)manner is that the leadership wanted Biden out of the race. They did not want/expect him to declare Harris by his endorsement and why she said that made it impossible to have any primary. There is speculation as to Biden's motive regarding that endorsement.
No one reason we lost so significantly, but we must consider all of it.