George Clooney has sparked controversy by publicly calling for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the upcoming presidential race.
The Democratic fundraiser and Oscar-winning actor stated in an open letter that the 81-year-old US President is not a qualified candidate following his horrid performance in a debate against Donald Trump earlier this month.
George wrote in the New York Times, "Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn't see what we just saw."
He continued, "We're all so terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term that we've opted to ignore every warning sign. The George Stephanopoulos interview only reinforced what we saw the week before.”
The Hollywood star added, "As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, who we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question."
George also voiced his concerns that should Biden be the nominee in November, the Democrats would lose both the election and the majority of the House and Senate.
He also emphasised that, given his senior age, it is unjust to attack Biden for his cognitive ability, but asserted that other politicians agreed with him.
While concluding he noted, "Joe Biden is a hero; he saved democracy in 2020. We need him to do it again in 2024."
To note, the United States is set to hold elections on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are vying to be their party's presidential nominees in the general election of 2024, with President Joe Biden serving as the Democratic Party's nominee in effect.
