Outspoken actor George Clooney, who played a pivotal role in the 2024 election, is now commenting on that race. In a recent interview, Clooney stood by his decision to push former President Joe Biden to drop out of the race but argued that it was a “mistake” for Vice President Kamala Harris to step in as the Democratic presidential candidate.
George Clooney second-guesses ‘mistake’ of Kamala Harris’ presidential run
Clooney’s comments on the 2024 election come in a recent interview with CBS News Sunday Morning. During the interview, which covered acting, aging, Clooney’s marriage to human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and more, the actor stood by his decision to write a New York Times op-ed publicly urging Biden to drop out of the election following Biden’s sometimes confused debate performance against Donald Trump. The pressure from Clooney and other Democrats led Biden to end his reelection bid in July and endorse Harris. However, Clooney mentioned his 2024 stance that the Democratic Party should have held a rapid primary to choose a candidate rather than coalescing quickly around Harris as the new candidate.
“I think the mistake with it being Kamala is she had to run against her own record,” Clooney argued in his CBS interview. “It’s very hard to do if the point of running is to say, ‘I’m not that person.’ It’s hard to do, and so she was given a very tough task. I think it was a mistake, quite honestly.”
Clooney called out for criticizing Harris in hindsight
Harris supporters have not taken kindly to Clooney second-guessing her presidential run now, despite having given her his endorsement.
“George Clooney went out of his way to get Biden off the ticket then other than a basic press release endorsement, did not lift a finger for Kamala Harris’s campaign when he knew full well time was against her and she needed all the help she could get,” an X, formerly Twitter, user posted with a “shut up” GIF.
Another was even more blunt, posting “Never thought I’d say this but F**K George Clooney!” adding, “He helps push Joe out of the race, withholding money and shooting his mouth off in an OpEd 6 weeks before the election, and he’s blaming Kamala Harris? Yet another overly privileged white man gambling w/people’s lives. Simpleton.”
Harris weighs political future
Clooney’s comments about the 2024 race come as Harris remains in the political spotlight. She is currently promoting her memoir, 107 Days, about her abbreviated 2024 presidential campaign. In the book and in interviews, Harris has recounted a complicated and sometimes tense relationship with Biden and his core supporters during their time in the White House and on the 2024 campaign trail. Harris has also been a harsh critic of the Trump administration. Harris has not yet indicated whether she intends to run for president again in 2028, a prospect that has divided Democrats.
While Harris continues to mull a potential 2028 run, her previous campaign has again become a topic of discussion, with Clooney giving his latest opinion on the race. For many people, the actor’s perceived criticisms of Harris and her 2024 campaign are not sitting well.