Biden Has More Stamina Than George Clooney, Campaign Official Suggests

Joe Biden’s presidential campaign has responded to an opinion piece written by actor George Clooney, in which Clooney suggested that the president step back from his re-election bid due to signs of aging.

Clooney published an article in the New York Times, drawing parallels between Biden’s demeanor during a presidential debate and what he observed at a private fundraiser. He urged the president to “save democracy” by dropping out of the race.

According to CNN, Biden’s team quickly fired back at Clooney’s remarks.

“A campaign official who attended that Los Angeles fundraiser tells me that George Clooney left three hours before the president,” reported CNN White House correspondent Kayla Tausche. “Clearly the gloves are off.”

CNN host Jake Tapper, who moderated the debate and whose show has frequently discussed the president’s age since his performance, seemed baffled by this rebuttal.

“But what does that mean, that George Clooney left three hours . . . what’s, what’s the point?” queried Tapper. Tausche explained that the implication was Clooney may have less stamina than Biden and perhaps didn’t have enough interaction with the president to make such judgments.

Tapper additionally speculated that with each passing day more Democratic supporters would distance themselves from President Biden. Nonetheless, some believe that the most challenging period is over, as nearly two weeks of media scrutiny has only prompted a few top Democrats to withdraw their support.

In the House of Representatives, public support for Biden’s withdrawal among Democratic lawmakers is just under 5% of the House caucus. Clooney joins a growing number of prominent donors and strategists who are speaking out against the president’s candidacy.

Clooney’s comments arise amidst criticism directed at media figures for their extensive focus on the president’s age. Critics say this comes at the expense of coverage of Donald Trump’s campaign, despite American voters largely remaining unaffected by debate performances.