Clooney joins a growing list of Democratic Party members and supporters who have asked the President to end his candidacy due to age- and health-related reasons. These appeals grew louder after Biden’s disastrous performance in a TV debate with Trump last month.

What did Clooney say in his essay about Joe Biden?

Clooney prefaced the article with his friendship with the President and his own support for the Democratic Party over the years. “…I believe in him (Biden)… In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.”

He added, “I have led some of the biggest fund-raisers in my party’s history. Barack Obama in 2012. Hillary Clinton in 2016. Joe Biden in 2020. Last month I co-hosted the single largest fund-raiser supporting any Democratic candidate ever, for President Biden’s re-election. I say all of this only to express how much I believe in this process and how profound I think this moment is.”

On June 14, George Clooney headlined a glitzy fundraiser where Hollywood legends like Barbara Streisand rubbed shoulders with former President Barack Obama. The party reported that they raised at least $28 million.

Clooney highlighted the apparent signs of age and mental infirmity that have been noted in the President’s public appearances. “It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe “big F-ing deal” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,” he wrote.

He further criticized the Democratic Party for not asking Biden to drop out, saying, “We’re all so terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term that we’ve opted to ignore every warning sign.”

Why does Clooney’s opinion matter?

George Clooney is an Academy Award-winning actor, producer and director, often seen as an icon of American movies. Apart from garnering widespread professional acclaim and success over the years, he has received appreciation for his humanitarian efforts in Sudan, Haiti, Syria and Lebanon. His criticism of Biden’s candidacy matters given his widespread name recognition and his position as a long-time supporter of the Democrats.

Clooney has endorsed every presidential candidate since 2008 and actively contributed to their fundraising efforts. His support of Barack Obama helped the Democrats raise at least $15 million, a sum also collected during Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016.

What difference could Clooney’s essay make, if at all?

The op-ed is expected to embolden more Democrats and party supporters to demand Biden’s replacement with another Democrat in the race.

On Wednesday, former House Speaker and senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi said “It’s up to the president to decide” whether to continue running. Senator Peter Welch of Vermont became the first senator to ask Biden to bow out of the race. This makes him the 10th elected Democrat to do so.

The situation signifies growing discontent and confusion within the party, with Biden defiantly refusing to quit. In August, the party will officially announce its candidate at the Democratic National Convention for the November polls. Prolonged infighting over the candidate would likely harm the party’s electoral prospects, so time is of the essence.

Other liberal voices in Hollywood could also speak out. Apart from affecting larger perceptions of Biden and the Democrats, it could negatively impact fundraising efforts with other high-profile donors refusing further support.

On the other hand, seasoned voters would continue to be guided by their existing political leaning on important electoral issues such as immigration and the economy.