
George Clooney says he is stepping back from politics after being accused of contributing to Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in the 2024 presidential election. Clooney, who had urged Democrats to reconsider President Joe Biden as their nominee, says he is being unfairly blamed for Harris’ defeat.
Clooney’s op-ed in The New York Times questioned Biden’s viability as a candidate but did not explicitly promote Harris as his replacement. Nevertheless, the Democratic Party replaced Biden with Harris, leading to criticism after her loss to President Donald Trump.
A source close to Clooney told the Daily Mail that he feels scapegoated. “He thinks it is completely unfair to try and make him a scapegoat for her loss,” the source said, adding that Clooney is disheartened by the backlash.
Clooney’s political involvement included hosting a fundraiser that raised $30 million for Biden’s campaign shortly before publishing his op-ed. Reports suggest former President Barack Obama was aware of the piece but did not encourage or discourage Clooney’s decision to write it.
The controversy has revealed tensions within the Democratic Party. Critics argue that Clooney’s criticism of Biden hurt the party, while others blame the decision to nominate Harris. Clooney himself believes Democrats acted hastily in removing Biden from the ticket.
Feeling frustrated by the criticism, Clooney plans to take a break from political activism. His defenders argue that his intentions were to help the Democratic Party strengthen its chances, not to harm its electoral prospects.