Actor George Clooney recently shared his thoughts on “CBS Sunday Morning,” expressing no regrets about his op-ed for the New York Times, in which he urged former President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 election. Clooney was asked whether he’d pen the piece again had he known about a potential Trump re-election. He responded affirmatively but also pointed out that it was a misstep for Biden to run with Kamala Harris without a primary.
“We had an opportunity,” he noted. “I wanted to see a primary contest to test the waters. It’s tough for Kamala to run on her own record. If you start by saying, ‘I’m not that person,’ it complicates things.” That’s a significant challenge; I honestly think it was a wrong turn.”
Clooney, a well-known Democratic supporter, published the essay after observing Biden’s performance in a national debate. “I’m surprised to be saying this, but the Joe Biden I saw recently at a fundraiser was not the same Biden of previous years. He looked like the same man we saw in that debate,” Clooney remarked.
Following his op-ed, Biden decided to withdraw from the race several weeks later. During the conversation, Clooney addressed comments made by Hunter Biden, who accused him of being dishonest about his father’s mental state and claimed he had sabotaged Biden’s campaign on behalf of Obama.
Despite his critiques, Clooney wished Biden well going forward, emphasizing that looking back isn’t generally beneficial for anyone involved—especially for the Democratic Party. While he harbors many private thoughts about the situation, he expressed the importance of not engaging in public disputes.
