Weeks before George Clooney called on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, the seemingly “catatonic” commander-in-chief failed to recognize the actor, who he’s known for years.
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book, “Original Sin,” pulls back the curtain on the demise of Biden’s reelection efforts and how his botched campaign paved the way for Trump to secure his return to the White House.
“The president appeared severely diminished, as if he’d aged a decade since Clooney last saw him, in December 2022,” reads an excerpt published by The New Yorker, referring to when “Biden hobbled out” to meet longtime supporter Clooney ahead of a mid-June fundraiser he was hosting.
According to the authors, one “Hollywood VIP” in attendance described Biden’s appearance as “startling” — “like watching someone who was not alive.”
As Biden offered the same thanks to each guest, his aide reminded him that he and Clooney had a personal history, the book claims. And though he tried to play it off, it was “clear that the president had not recognized Clooney.”
“It was not O.K.,” recalled the VIP who witnessed the interaction. “The moment where you recognize someone you know — especially a famous person who’s doing a f–king fundraiser for you — it was delayed. It was uncomfortable.’”
According to the book, “Clooney was shaken to his core” by the incident, while other attendees “described Biden as slow and almost catatonic.”
The following month, Clooney penned a New York Times op-ed entitled, “I Love Joe Biden. But we need a new nominee,” that’s been viewed as the turning point that ended the president’s campaign for good.
