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 president’s cognitive health was in decline.
“In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced,” Clooney wrote after Joe Biden’s lackluster debate performance on June 27. “But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s 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 wasn’t 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.
“I’m so disgusted with the Democratic Party leaders, George Clooney, Stephen King, Rob Reiner, and all the other wealthy people who demanded Joe step aside. Thanks a lot. You pushed out the guy who could win,” wrote one X user. “Trump should not forget to thank the Hollywood celebrities. Especially George Clooney,” added another account. Of course, there is also the simple approach to the end of an election cycle, “This is all George Clooney’s fault,” wrote a critic.
Now that the dust is starting to settle on a contentious election, there might be one point that Americans should remember for the future, celebrities don’t have that much power over how we vote. Arizona State University professor Margaretha Bentley told The Guardian, “In the academic literature, research has shown that, while celebrity endorsements can increase civic engagement and voter registrations, it has not proven to have a direct impact on how people make their voting decisions.”
Clooney’s op-ed had an ageist angle to it which didn’t feel great to many voters, but in the end, the party lines were already drawn — no matter who was the Democratic Party nominee.
Before you go, click here to see our favorite photos of President Joe Biden’s big family.
