George Clooney has expressed regret over the decision to replace Joe Biden with Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election. In a recent interview with CBS’ Sunday Morning, the acclaimed actor and filmmaker discussed his previous op-ed in the New York Times that urged Biden to withdraw from the race. While Clooney stands by his call for a primary to challenge Biden, he criticized the decision to appoint Harris as his successor.
When asked if he would write the op-ed again, Clooney affirmed his stance, saying, “Yes. We had a chance. I wanted there to be… a primary. Let’s battle-test this quickly and get it up and going.” However, he reflected on Harris’s nomination, stating, “I think the mistake with it being Kamala is that she had to run against her own record. It’s very hard to do if the point of running is to say, ‘I’m not that person.’”
Clooney’s blunt essay, published in July 2024, followed Biden’s challenging debate against Donald Trump on June 27, where he argued that the Democrats would struggle to win the upcoming election. He wrote, “We are not going to win in November with this president.” Clooney cited a consensus among other political leaders, claiming that “this isn’t only my opinion; this is the opinion of every senator and Congress member and governor who I’ve spoken with in private.”
Despite his initial concerns, Clooney later endorsed Harris for the presidency. Unfortunately, she ultimately lost to Trump in the November 2024 election. Following the election, Clooney praised Biden for stepping back from the race, describing his decision as “the most selfless thing that anybody has done since George Washington.” He remarked on the difficulty of relinquishing power, stating, “It’s very hard to let go of power… for someone to say, I think there’s a better way forward, all the credit goes to him.”
Clooney’s comments have sparked discussions about the challenges facing Democratic candidates in the current political landscape, particularly for those who must contend with their own records while campaigning. His reflections highlight the complexities of leadership transitions within the party as they prepare for future elections.
