(Venice) George Clooney on Sunday welcomed Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race and called for applause for a “selfless act” in favor of Kamala Harris, during the presentation Sunday in Venice of his latest film with Brad Pitt out of competition.
Asked at the film’s press conference, he replied: “The person who should be applauded is the president, who did the most selfless thing that anyone has done since George Washington,” the first American president (1789-1797).
A fervent Democrat, very involved in fundraising for the party, George Clooney was on July 10 one of the first major supporters of the Democrats to call on Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race in the face of doubts about his state of health.
“I like Joe Biden. But we need another candidate,” George Clooney wrote in the New York Timesa few weeks after participating with other Hollywood stars in a gala in favor of the candidate.
PHOTO LOUISA GOULIAMAKI, REUTERS
Actor George Clooney
George Clooney stressed on Sunday how difficult such a decision would be for the outgoing president to make: “What we should remember is the selfless act of someone who, as you know, gave up power, which is very hard.”
“I am very proud of the situation […] “Where we are today, which I think surprises a lot of people, and I think we’re all very excited about the future,” he said, as Vice President Kamala Harris emerged from the Democratic convention in Chicago with a slight lead over Donald Trump in the polls.