George Clooney has issued a scathing call for Joe Biden to drop out of the US presidential race, just hours after veteran Democratic Party Nancy Pelosi dodged questions about whether he should continue running.
The Hollywood actor and prominent Democratic fundraiser said the president has won many battles in his career, “but the one battle he cannot win is the battle against time.”
His comments came after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined growing unease within the party, saying time was “running out” for Biden to decide whether to continue running against Donald Trump after the disastrous debates .
Clooney wrote New York Times It’s “shocking” to say it, but the Mr. Biden he met at a fundraiser three weeks ago was not the ‘Joe ‘Big Deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2010. 2020.
“He’s the guy we witnessed in the debate,” Clooney said.
The fundraiser in Los Angeles brought the Biden campaign a single-night record of around $30m (£23.3m).
“Our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw.”
“It’s about age. That’s all,” he continued. “We’re not going to win in November with this president.”
Clooney added that his concerns echo those of “every” member of Congress he has spoken to.
Meanwhile, public dissent within his party continues to grow as Biden faces scrutiny as he hosts a NATO summit in Washington.
Ms Pelosi, the former House speaker and still one of the most powerful Democrats on Capitol Hill, appeared to ignore Mr Biden’s insistence on Wednesday that he was determined to continue.
Asked whether he should stay in the race, she told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”: “I hope he does whatever he decides to do.”
“It’s up to the president to decide whether he will run or not. We all encourage him to make that decision because time is running out.”
Since the June 27 debate with Trump, about a dozen elected Democrats have suggested that he abandon his campaign.
On Tuesday, Colorado’s Michael Bennet became the first Democratic senator to publicly express dissent.
While he stopped short of calling for Biden to resign outright, he said Trump would win the election, possibly in a “landslide.”
Others are more direct. “I asked him to announce that he would not run for re-election,” North Jersey Congressman Mikie Sherril said in a statement.
Ms Pelosi acknowledged the demands on the president, telling MSNBC: “I say to everyone – let’s hold off.
“Whatever you’re thinking or telling people privately, you don’t have to put it on the table until we see what’s going on this week. But I’m very proud of the president.”
Pat Ryan, a congressman from New York, later wrote on
However, overall support among elected Democrats remains strong.
The Congressional Black Caucus, made up of about 60 politicians, as well as new House members such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, publicly backed him.
“I’m with Joe,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday.
Asked about Mr Bennett and Mrs Pelosi’s comments, the Biden campaign reiterated his statement to the party that he would “fight this campaign to the end”. A spokesman also pointed to Mrs. Pelosi’s comments on Tuesday that she “remains committed” to Mr. Biden.
