George Clooney reveals what he thought of Biden at LA fundraiser where Obama dragged him off stage

Actor and vocal Democrat George Clooney says nan President Joe Biden America saw astatine nan statement is nan 'same man' he saw astatine a fundraiser successful Los Angeles past month.

While Democrats scramble to declare Biden, 81, conscionable had a 'bad night,' insiders uncover that Biden is not nan aforesaid man who was moving for president successful 2020.

Clooney co-hosted swanky fundraiser pinch Biden successful Los Angeles connected June 16 – conscionable 11 days earlier nan train wreck statement capacity pinch Donald Trump – wherever nan president had to beryllium guided disconnected shape by erstwhile President Barack Obama.

'It's devastating to opportunity it, but nan Joe Biden I was pinch 3 weeks agone astatine nan fundraiser was not nan Joe 'big F-ing deal' Biden of 2010,' nan lifelong Democrat wrote successful a New York Times op/ed. 'He wasn't moreover nan Joe Biden of 2020.'

'He was nan aforesaid man we each witnessed astatine nan debate,' Clooney admitted.

The op/ed was a commanding telephone from Clooney for Biden to step-down arsenic nan party's campaigner successful November and let personification other to lead nan ticket.

The Hollywood megastar, who has hosted galore fundraisers, said nan Biden can't triumph nan 'battle against time' successful a scathing op-ed for nan New York Times connected Wednesday morning.

The character besides condemned Democratic statement leaders for ignoring 'every informing sign' of Biden's declining beingness and intelligence wellness and for trying to take sides his car-crash capacity against Donald Trump. 

'Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our statement leaders request to extremity telling america that 51 cardinal group didn't spot what we conscionable saw,' Clooney wrote. 

He added that Democrat voters 'collectively clasp our activity aliases move down nan measurement whenever we spot nan president, who we respect, locomotion disconnected Air Force One aliases locomotion backmost to a mic to reply an unscripted question.'

Clooney's LA fundraiser past period – hosted on pinch Obama and character Julia Roberts – helped raise $28 cardinal for Biden's reelection campaign.

The event, however, was overshadowed pinch questions astir nan president's wellness aft a video appeared to show Obama needing to drawback Biden's limb and guideline him disconnected stage.

In nan video, Biden and Obama are seen waving and smiling while receiving a opinionated ovation successful nan Peacock Theater successful downtown Los Angeles. Biden applauds and gives nan assemblage a thumbs up but past he stops moving arsenic he stares retired complete nan crowd for respective agelong seconds.

Obama, still smiling and waving astatine this point, took Biden by nan wrist and gave him a gentle tug. That's erstwhile nan president appears to threat retired of it.

They proceed to locomotion disconnected nan shape together pinch Obama speaking into Biden's receptor arsenic he pats him connected nan backmost arsenic they go.

The White House called nan video a fake. Officials besides noted nan fundraiser took spot nan time aft Biden returned from participating successful nan G7 acme successful Italy.

Clooney joins nan scores of Democrats and Biden friends who person called for nan president to measurement down successful nan 2 weeks since his meandering and mumbling showing connected CNN. The character hosted immoderate of nan biggest fundraisers successful nan party's history, including 1 past period for Biden's reelection.

Biden has insisted he is not going anyplace and that he will still hit Trump successful November, but Clooney's comments are an tremendous rustle to his embattled campaign.

'Joe Biden is simply a hero; he saved populist successful 2020. We request him to do it again successful 2024,' nan actor wrote in nan op-ed.

Clooney, who hosted a star-studded fundraiser for Biden successful Los Angeles connected June 16, said nan personification he saw location was nan campaigner nan world saw astatine past week's statesmanlike debate.

'I emotion Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and arsenic president. I see him a friend, and I judge successful him. Believe successful his character. Believe successful his morals. In nan past 4 years, he's won galore of nan battles he's faced,' Clooney wrote.

Biden and Clooney person a agelong relationship, going backmost to Biden's time arsenic president of nan Senate Foreign Services Committee. Clooney was moving connected issues successful Darfur and connected pinch him.

The president has honored Clooney for his support, hosting him astatine nan White House for nan Kennedy Center Honors successful December 2022. 

The character has go a awesome unit successful nan Democratic Party, raising millions for its candidates. He's seen arsenic an influential sound successful American politics. 

His dis-endorsement of Biden could besides wounded nan Democratic Party successful nan pouch book.

Hollywood donors, pinch their heavy pockets, were said to beryllium furious pinch run co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg aft Biden's statement performance.

The donors, for illustration galore Biden supporters, said they felt misled and betrayed astir nan president's health.

Clooney based on it was much important to hit Donald Trump successful November than to support Biden connected nan ticket.

'Our statement leaders request to extremity telling america that 51 cardinal group didn't spot what we conscionable saw. We're each truthful terrified by nan imaginable of a 2nd Trump word that we've opted to disregard each informing sign,' he wrote. 

Already immoderate salient Democrats are saying Clooney has a point.

'I americium concerned.' Michael Douglas, a longtime Biden supporter, told ABC's The View. 'I deliberation it's a valid point,' he said of Clooney's op-ed. 

Biden has been struggling to rally Democrats astir his statesmanlike bid arsenic calls for him to exit nan statesmanlike title grow.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those appearing to mobility Biden's determination to stay successful nan contest.

'It's up to nan president to determine if he is going to run. We're each encouraging him to make that decision. Because clip is moving short,' she said connected Morning Joe connected Wednesday.

Some Democratic lawmakers person expressed their doubts astir Biden's expertise to hit Trump.

Clooney said he's heard this interest from members of Congress he has spoken to, including worries nan Democratic Party will suffer nan House and Senate.

'We are not going to triumph successful November pinch this president. On apical of that, we won't triumph nan House, and we're going to suffer nan Senate. This isn't only my opinion; this is nan sentiment of each legislator and legislature personnel and politician that I've spoken pinch successful private. Every azygous one, irrespective of what he aliases she is saying publicly,' he wrote. 

He argues a nominee should beryllium picked astatine nan Democratic National Convention, which will beryllium held successful Chicago August 19th done August 22nd. 

And nan character suggested an array of candidates who could switch Biden and spell connected to triumph successful November.

'Let's perceive from Wes Moore and Kamala Harris and Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom and Andy Beshear and J.B. Pritzker and others,' he said, sanction checking respective governors and nan vice president. 

'Let's work together that nan candidates not onslaught 1 different but, successful nan short clip we have, attraction connected what will make this state soar. Then we could spell into nan Democratic normal adjacent period and fig it out,' he adds.

Biden has insisted he will enactment successful nan race.

He sent a missive to each Democratic lawmakers connected Monday, announcing his decision. He's besides reached retired to statement officials, donors and mayors arsenic he tries to statement up his support pinch nan statement faithful. 

'I want you to cognize that contempt each nan speculation successful nan property and elsewhere, I americium firmly committed to staying successful this race, to moving this title to nan end, and to beating Donald Trump,' Biden wrote to Democrats.