Hollywood’s elite are at war over President Biden — and it could cost the Democrats millions of dollars and crucial A-list support they rely on.
Tinseltown is arguably the most important and influential Democratic stronghold in the country, but The Post can reveal the fury behind the scenes as a wealth of power players and A-listers feel they have been conned into raising cash for ailing President Biden’s re-election without being told the true extent of his decline.
Not only are people moving their money and putting their funding into congressional races, but the Biden campaign is struggling to find ‘surrogates’; celebrity supporters to stump for the President, according to well-placed sources.
Biden has so far received no public support from big hitters such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Taylor Swift, who all endorsed his 2020 campaign.
“You really do need the celebrity factor, you need Hollywood,” said one former Obama campaign staffer, “That’s how we get the youth vote. It’s not Joe who gets the 18-29 year olds to come out to vote.”
When asked whether the Hollywood ‘cool girls’, like influential actress and producer Reese Witherspoon, will join the campaign, one top industry insider was doubtful.
“Although Democrats do not want Trump to win, it’s really not cool to support Biden,” they said.
Another key figure who the campaign were counting on, actress and producer Eva Longoria – seen as a key figure in helping boost the Latino vote in recent years – is living in Europe for the majority of this year, filming her new CNN series, ‘Searching for Spain’.
She’s not done filming until just before the November election, but friends say they expect her to at the very least encourage people to vote. However, it’s not the strong, visible and present support Biden needs in what is proving to be an incredibly tight race between him and former president Donald Trump.
The biggest shock of all came this week when George Clooney, who hosted a glittering fundraiser in LA last month that raised $30 million for Biden’s re-election campaign, called on the President to step aside.
“I love Joe Biden … I consider him a friend, and I believe in him,” Clooney wrote in a blunt piece for The New York Times. “But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can,”
Clooney added. “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,” referencing his car-crash televised debate performance against Trump on June 27.
Clooney’s been joined by Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and powerful “When Harry Met Sally” producer Rob Reiner; and “LOST” creator Damon Lindelof, in asking Biden to step down.
Other high-profile stars are staying silent.
Barbra Streisand, one of the most powerful Democrats in Hollywood, is not planning to comment on the Biden furor, The Post is told.
And this, says one well-placed producer, is the crux of the problem.
“The gap between Hollywood and the rest of the country continues to grow,” the producer told The Post.
“From a cultural perspective, they (power players) seem to have removed themselves from sanity and have refused to speak up about different points, from Israel to Biden.”
One guest at the LA fundraiser added of the billionaire summer camp this week at Sun Valley in Idaho, which brings together power players including Jeff Bezos — who has yet to publicly back Biden despite attending the state dinner for Japan in April — Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Disney’s Bob Iger and Paramount’s Shari Redstone, “You can bet this is all they are talking about.”
Biden’s chief fundraiser, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Oscar-winning film mogul behind “The Lion King” has drawn the ire of other bigwigs for failing to acknowledge Biden’s alleged health issues.
“Katzenberg suckered in everybody else,” said the producer, “This is one of the first times where trust and honor come into play in Hollywood, people believe he violated their trust by not being honest about Biden.”
Katzenberg did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Meanwhile, sources say Biden’s campaign officials are making frantic calls to Hollywood agencies to try and win some kind of support.
“Everyone has their eyes on Katzenberg,” said the former Obama campaign staffer, “Everyone in the Democrats are irritated by Clooney’s op-ed, but when you read it, there’s nothing you really disagree with.
“The Hollywood donors are just looking for guidance and not really sure what to do next.”
Behind the scenes of the LA fundraiser, hosted by Clooney and his BFF Julia Roberts, it was clear Obama — who led Biden off stage at the Peacock Theater when he froze — was the real star of the evening.
“Obama outshone Biden,” one guest told The Post, “I don’t think he’s ever had Obama’s charisma,” the guest mused.
Clooney and Roberts kicked off the night but failed to stay for the entire event, The Post is told, leaving after posing for photos with donors.
In previous campaigns, both former Hillary Clinton and Obama had a wealth of celebrities traipsing across the country for them when they were candidates.
America Fererra, Katy Perry and Lena Dunham spoke at the DNC in 2016, while Beyoncé and Jay-Z performed for Clinton at a concert in Cleveland, alongside Chance the Rapper and Big Sean.
“I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless,” said Beyonce.
Bey and Jay were huge supporters of Obama in 2012, hosting fundraisers and concerts, including a $40,000-a-ticket event at Manhattan’s 40/40 club, as was Oprah Winfrey.
A longtime Democrat staffer, who has worked on multiple Presidential campaigns, told The Post, “The Biden campaign have hosted record-breaking fundraisers like the Radio City one featuring Biden, Obama and Clinton — but it’s as much about the money as it is the ‘surrogates’.
“Particularly to reach young and new voters, you need these well-known voices with their own large platforms and followers who are willing to post on social media or hit the campaign trail in battleground states.”
“If those big names aren’t leaning in then that’s a problem,” added the staffer, “Look at Katy Perry in 2016 for Hillary, she made appearances on the campaign trail independent of Hillary.”
Let's break down Clooney's role in Biden's 2024 presidential campaign
- George Clooney has played a role in Democratic fundraising since Barack Obama’s 2012 run, including leading a benefit for former Vice President Joe Biden in 2020 and another in June 2024.
- Clooney, joined by actresses Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, helped Biden take in a record $30 million-plus at a star-studded fundraising event in New York City just last month.
- Just weeks later, Clooney turned on Biden and published an op-ed in the New York Times calling for the 81-year-old to leave the race following his atrocious debate appearance.
- Clooney wrote that Biden “cannot win” in November, adding that the president is not the man he used to know, but rather “the same man we all witnessed at the debate.” The actor even said that “every senator and Congress member and governor that I’ve spoken with in private” agrees that Biden must step down.
- Donald Trump blasted Clooney for his comments, telling him to “get out of politics and go back to TV,” and said the actor had “turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are.”
- A report also revealed that Obama knew ahead of time what Clooney planned to write and did not object to the op-ed.
The cast of ‘The West Wing’ also stumped in Iowa as well for Clinton.
Asked if Clooney’s comments have hurt Biden, the staffer admitted, “it’s a bit of an echo chamber but still, not great”.
The Obama staffer added that when Biden appeared on stage at the fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall in NY in May appeared to be a “different person”.
The event, which featured a panel discussion between Biden, Obama and Clinton, moderated by Stephen Colbert, raised $26 million that night, and featured musical guests, including Cynthia Erivo, Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Lea Michele, and Ben Platt, all emceed by Mindy Kaling.
“The Hollywood fundraiser didn’t seem to energize people as much as Radio City,” said the staffer.
Tickets for the LA fundraiser ranged from $250 for the nosebleed section to $500,000 “for a ticket package that includes prime seats, photos with both presidents and a VIP after-party”.
Streisand introduced First Lady Jill Biden before Jack Black and Sheryl Lee Ralph provided musical performances; and Jason Bateman and Kathryn Hahn ushered in Jimmy Kimmel, the night’s moderator.
Sources also say, amid the chaos, liberal Hollywood machers are pulling money out of the presidential campaign and keying in on congressional races.
One huge powerbroker told The Post while not everyone thinks Biden should step down, “the general consensus is this is untenable.”
“He’s not going to be better in four years. Maybe there are more people who think he should [step aside] because any positive energy now could push Trump [into winning].
“People feel bullish there’s enough energy against Trump, and for a new person, that the Democrats could win.”
The source said Clooney is essentially a figurehead for how the entire entertainment industry is thinking.
“When one of the most thoughtful people in Hollywood comes out, I’d argue that’s a bellwether for all of the industry.
Another Democratic insider said that even among those who do support Biden, “There’s a back and forth about whether he’s fit to serve, and you can’t unhear that.”
