Clooney: Failure to Primary Harris Was a 'Mistake'

George Clooney, among those who called for President Biden to abandon his 2024 reelection bid, says it was a "mistake" to simply swap him for then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Clooney, speaking to CBS News, reflected on Democrats' decision to make Harris the nominee without a primary, suggesting that the process left her in a difficult position. "I think the mistake with it being Kamala is she had to run against her own record," said Clooney, who endorsed Harris. "It's very hard to do if the point of running is to say, 'I'm not that person.' It's hard to do and so she was given a very tough task."

Clooney stands by his New York Times op-ed from July of that year, in which he urged Biden to exit the race, saying the president was noticeably diminished and wouldn't win. But he also said he wanted a competitive primary. "We had a chance," he told CBS of that missed opportunity, noting it was a "mistake" not to "battle-test" the field. The actor's op-ed remarks recently drew a fiery response from Hunter Biden, who, in an expletive-filled interview, dismissed Clooney's concerns and questioned his involvement, per the BBC. Harris, for her part, has indicated she may seek the presidency again.