George Clooney, a well-known actor, recently brought into light the decision taken by President Joe Biden to step down from the presidential race. Clooney’s comments arrived around a week post his writing a potent opinion article for the New York Times with a rather candid headline, ‘I Admire Joe Biden, But A Shift In Leadership Is Required.’ While appearing for a press briefing related to his next movie, Wolfs, where he shares screen with Brad Pitt, Clooney made this statement at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 1.
However, his flattery of President Biden is rather perplexing, as he attempts to paint the action of dropping out as intuitively remarkable. ‘The true hero is the President who took a step back, reminding me oddly of George Washington,’ Clooney exclaimed. His remarks strayed from standard logic, emphasizing that everyone should forget the chaotic process that led to this resignation. Instead, according to him, the self-declared ‘act of selflessness’ should be the main takeaway.
Clooney then lauded the difficulty of handing over power, although one could argue it is a basic principle of democratic process. Speaking to the media, he said: ‘A round of applause for someone who has voiced, ‘I believe there exists a more effective path forward?’ All tribute goes to him,’ which, while heartfelt, raises questions about the performance that led to such a decision.
In the same opinion piece that featured in the Times, Clooney alludes to his affection for Biden and publicly expresses his rapport with him. This viewpoint was published soon after Clooney managed a Democratic fundraiser at the Los Angeles Peacock Theater. Yet, he admitted, with subtle disappointment, that the fundraiser saw ‘a version of Biden different from the 2020 one’.
In his piece, Clooney refers to Biden’s much-maligned performance during a combative debate against Donald Trump on June 27 – the first of the 2024 presidential contests. His assessment of President Biden was quite simple and telling: ‘He just reflected the person everyone witnessed during the debate.’ The actor was one of the more notable voices responding after the debate, with an overall aura that was far from positive.
Clooney, who is a proclaimed ‘staunch Democrat’ and a notable contributor to the party, expressed his concern about the ageing politician. The actor clearly cautioned, ‘This is a matter of age. Nothing else … We are unlikely to see victory in November with this President.’ A common theme of weakness and instability illustrated by Clooney reflects the broader disappointment prevalent in the Democratic ranks.
The timing of Clooney’s Op-Ed couldn’t have been more substantial. Biden’s announcement to step away from the race coincided with demands from various eminent Democrats including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to leave the stage. In quick succession and to everyone’s surprise, Biden picked Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
Clooney quickly took the opportunity to voice his support and backed Harris post-Biden’s decision to forgo another presidential bid. Yet, his official statement on CNN, despite its intent to appreciate Biden, seemed to highlight the internal crisis: ‘President Biden has demonstrated what leadership truly means. He’s aiding to rescue democracy one more time,’ said the actor.
He fuether added, ‘We’re all eagerly willing to do whatever we can to assist Vice President Harris in her unprecedented challenge.’ While many would read into this as praise, the reality of the matter is this was a carefully packaged attempt to move forward and disassociate from the failings of Biden’s leadership.
In spite of Clooney’s attempts to spin his statements into a positive reflection on Biden, the endorsement towards Kamala Harris hints at an essential shift. It exposes an eroding faith in Biden’s capabilities and mirrors the disappointment expressed by Democrats towards their chosen leader.
Immediately after Biden’s withdrawal from the race, it became prominent how desperate Democrats, including Clooney himself, were to place their bets on a new face. Rather than focusing on the leadership crisis caused by Biden’s missteps, they swiftly jumped the gun, endorsing Harris instantaneously.
Despite the relentless attempts to praise Biden, it’s quite clear that his decision to step down was more a necessity than a calculated choice. The cloak of selflessness that Clooney tries to hang on Biden fails to hide the underperformance that led to this dramatic exit.
Though even as stalwarts like Clooney paint this as a ‘selfless act’, it’s worth noting most people see through this facade. They acknowledge it as reflecting the acknowledgment from one of America’s oldest parties, that Biden might be a liability rather than an asset for them.
Moreover, Clooney’s open endorsement of Harris as Biden’s successor underscores the collective uncertainty and instability of the Democratic Party. Seems like they are more interested in dividing their attention between passing off Biden’s resignation as honorable and showering praises on the next ‘hopeful’ as an act of reinforcing stability.
Despite Clooney’s public endorsements and the desperate attempts of the Democratic Party to quickly shift focus, the qualms related to this ‘selfless resignation’ raise several unsettling questions which need open acknowledgment rather than systematic dismissal.
The unorthodox situation surrounding Biden and his party, shown through Clooney’s and other Democrats’ remarks, only clarifies the structural disorder within the party itself. It’s evident they are trying to put a brave face on a grim situation. Yet, the multi-layered crisis of leadership restricts them from truly moving beyond the Biden debacle.
Clooney’s Hollow Praise Underscores Biden’s Frailty appeared first on Real News Now.
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