In a sure sign that Donald Trump secretly believes that while he can beat Joe Biden in November, he might not be able to beat any other candidate, he is lashing out at George Clooney for calling on the President to step out of the race.
“TV stars have no business in politics” the former host of The Apprentice-turned-president says.
Trump, the celebrity hound who would probably give his right arm to have Clooney’s endorsement, accuses him of being a political and Hollywood fake, and by implication, disloyal to Uncle Joe. “So now fake movie actor George Clooney, who never came close to making a great movie, is getting into the act,” Trump posted on Truth Social in reaction to the actor’s op-ed.
Taking a puzzling stand he adds: “He’s turned on Crooked Joe like the rats they both are.”
The question is, why would Trump defend—although in a backhanded way—Joe Biden against calls to withdraw from the race?
In an opinion piece in The Hill written after Biden’s disastrous debate, Douglas McKinnon examines the question, “Why Trump wants Biden to stay in the race.”
“The obvious answer for me — and many I speak with — is that it would be much better for Trump if Biden remains the Democratic nominee. Reason one of course being Biden’s debate disaster.” McKinnon believes that for all those who had not been paying close attention to the campaign, Biden’s “performance would have had a cold bucket of water thrown in their face. That becomes a huge net-plus for Trump.”
The second reason is that “If you are Team Trump, the last thing you want to see is “a knight in shining armor” riding into the convention in Chicago to ‘save’ the Democratic Party.”
On July 10, Clooney, who is widely known as being intensely politically engaged, a fervent Democrat, and one of the most powerful Hollywood celebrities with political clout, wrote an op-ed in The New York Times whose title says it all: “I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee”.
Clooney, a long-time supporter of Biden, expressed concerns about Biden’s age and performance, particularly referencing a recent fundraiser and the debate. Clooney’s piece has been seen as a call for a shake-up in the Democratic Party, emphasizing the need for a candidate who can effectively compete in the upcoming election.
“What does Clooney know about anything?” Trump asked.
It is uncertain whether it was Clooney’s praise of Biden’s former achievements or the risk that Clooney’s call for withdrawal might be successful, but Trump used the opportunity to denigrate both Clooney and Biden and air the grievances that by now have become his calling card.
“He uses the Democrat ‘talking point’ that Biden, the WORST President in the history of the United States, has ‘saved our Democracy.’ No, Crooked Joe was the one who WEAPONIZED Law Enforcement against his political Opponent, who created the most devastating INFLATION in the history of our Country, who Embarrassed our Nation in Afghanistan, and whose crazy Open Border Policy has allowed millions of people to illegally pour into our Country, many from prisons and mental institutions. Crooked Joe Biden didn’t save our Democracy, he brought our Democracy to its knees. Clooney should get out of politics and go back to television. Movies never really worked for him!!!”
The irony of the former president’s gripe is powerful. Trump, former TV star of The Apprentice and with no background and experience in politics before he decided to run for the White House in 2016, could be speaking about himself instead of Clooney. As one social media user wrote: “So people who were TV stars have no business in politics? Ok, I’ll go along with that.”
