Including Stephen King, Damon Lindelof, and more famous Democrats have doubts about the upcoming election.
Democrats have been freaking out since Joe Biden’s awful debate performance late last month, and now celebrities are joining the chorus. Heading into the June 27 showdown, our octogenarian president had been successful at keeping his party in check, despite dismal approval ratings and polls that place him slightly behind his opponent, former president, and newly convicted felon, Donald Trump. After his showing at the debate, however, Biden’s virtually lost his grip on a decent portion of the Democratic Party: Hollywood. Below, the latest celebs who have reacted to the Biden dilemma and joined in calls for him to step aside.
What did Biden say at the debate?
Overall, Biden’s June 27 debate performance was characterized by confused pauses, a raspy voice weakened by a cold, moments where he seemed to forget he was on a prime-time stage, and low energy levels. In one viral moment, the commander-in-chief even struggled to name Medicare when he was responding to a question about taxing the rich. “We have 1,000 trillionaires in America — I mean billionaires in America. And what’s happening? They’re in a situation where they, in fact, pay 8.2 percent taxes, if they just paid 24 percent, 25 percent — either one of those numbers — we’d raise $500 million — billion dollars, I should say — in a ten-year period,” he said, describing a tax policy that would raise enough money for things like child care and other needs. That’s when he couldn’t name the landmark elder insurance program. Biden paused, saying, “Excuse me, dealing with everything we have to do with …” He paused again before remembering the program. “Look, if we finally beat Medicare,” he said, which makes it seem like Dems are anti-Medicare, the opposite of their stance.
Naturally, calls for a Biden replacement were swift heading into the Fourth of July weekend, trying to imagine what can be next for Democrats, unburdened by what has been. A thrill for the KHive, we’re sure.
What’s in Biden’s open letter?
Amid the turmoil, Biden sent an open letter to House Democrats basically telling them not to believe the rumors and to support his bid for reelection. “Now that you have returned from the July 4th recess, I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” he wrote on July 8. Believing he is the best person to defeat the small-handed chaos agent, Biden told his party, “It’s time to come together.”
He rejected the idea that any replacement would stand a chance. Biden defiantly fired shots at those he defeated in the primaries, calling them everything but losers. “This was a process open to anyone who wanted to run,” he reminded us. “Only three people chose to challenge me. One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated. The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party.” Elsewhere in the letter, he clarified his platform, which didn’t come across easily during the debates, and celebrated his wins while in office, including low unemployment rates, the infrastructure act, climate-change investment, and more.
This morning, I sent a letter to my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill. In it, I shared my thoughts about this moment in our campaign.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 8, 2024
It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/ABtAaJrr0n
Who wants Biden replaced?
Stephen King
The long-standing Democrat and horror author believes Biden needs to step aside for the country’s sake. “Joe Biden has been a fine president, but it’s time for him — in the interests of the America he so clearly loves — to announce he will not run for re-election,” King tweeted on July 8.
Rob Reiner
The Harry Met Sally director called for Biden to “stop fucking around” on July 7. “If the Convicted Felon wins, we lose our Democracy,” he tweeted. “Joe Biden has effectively served US with honor, decency, and dignity. It’s time for Joe Biden to step down.”
John Cusack
Brat Pack–er and Say Anything actor agreed with Reiner’s sentiments. “There has been no bigger supporter of Biden‘s domestic policy than Rob — he’s right,” Cusack tweeted on July 7.
Damon Lindelof
Writing an essay for Deadline, the Lost creator called for a boycott of donations to the Democratic Party until they get it together, a call echoed by major donor Abigail Disney, Walt Disney’s great-niece. “I am a lifelong Democrat and I love my complicated, glorious country,” he said in the July 3 op-ed. “I am not writing this anonymously because I’m asking others in positions of influence to do the same. I don’t know if what I have to say will matter, but I know what my eyes and my ears and my heart tell me. I’ve been asleep at the wheel and it’s time to wake the fuck up.” Using extended baseball metaphors to describe the party, he wrote that Biden will hand over the ball if they would just walk onto the field. Until then, he has a plan: “I propose a DEMbargo. No checks written. No ActBlue links clicked. For anyone.”
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