Shafaq News/ Hollywood star George Clooney has publicly called on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, urging the Democratic Party to select a new candidate to face former President Donald Trump.

In an op-ed titled "I Love Biden, But We Need a New Candidate" published in the New York Times, Clooney expressed his pride in being a Democrat while advocating for a fresh face to represent the party in the upcoming election.

"I have been a Democrat my entire life and I do not need to justify that," Clooney wrote. "I am proud of what my party stands for and what it fights for. As part of my involvement in the democratic process and in support of the candidates I have chosen, I have led some of the largest fundraising campaigns in the party’s history for Barack Obama in 2012, Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020. Just last month, I co-hosted the biggest fundraiser ever to support any Democratic candidate, aimed at re-electing President Biden. I say all this just to convey how deeply I believe in this process and how critical this moment is."

Clooney acknowledged his admiration for Biden, describing him as a friend and a leader of integrity, but he expressed concerns about Biden's ability to win a second term. "I love Joe Biden as a senator, vice president, and president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him, his character, and his ethics. Over the past four years, he has won many battles, but the one battle he cannot win is against time. None of us can. It is painful to say, but the Joe Biden I saw at the fundraiser three weeks ago is not the same impactful Joe Biden from 2010. He is not even the Joe Biden from 2020."

Clooney emphasized that Biden's age is a critical factor that cannot be ignored. He noted that the president appeared tired during a recent campaign event and urged Democratic leaders to recognize the signs. "Was he tired? Yes. Did he have a cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people did not see what we just saw. We are all terrified of a potential second term for Trump, so we choose to ignore every warning sign. The interview with George Stephanopoulos only reinforced what we saw last week."

Clooney stressed that Democrats would struggle to win in November with Biden as their candidate, predicting losses in the House and Senate as well. "We will not win with this president in November. Additionally, we will not win the House, and we will lose the Senate. This is not just my opinion; it is the opinion of every senator, congressman, and governor I have spoken with privately."

In his op-ed, Clooney repeatedly expressed his love for Biden while also justifying the need for a replacement. He criticized Democratic members of Congress for waiting to see if things would reach a critical point, arguing that they already have. "We can bury our heads in the sand and pray for a miracle in November, or we can tell the truth."

Clooney called on senior Democrats like Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, and Nancy Pelosi to urge Biden to step aside voluntarily. He warned of dire consequences for the party if a new candidate is not chosen before the presidential election in November.

"All the scary stories we promote about what will happen next simply are not true. Most likely, the funds in the Biden-Harris coffers can be redirected to help elect a new Democratic candidate. We have a very distinguished group of capable candidates. We do not appoint leaders or dethrone them; we vote to elect a president. We can easily expect a group of strong Democrats to step forward and tell us why they are most qualified to lead this country."

Clooney suggested several names as potential replacements for Biden, including Wes Moore, Kamala Harris, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Andy Beshear, and J.B. Pritzker. He urged Democratic candidates to avoid attacking each other and to focus on the future of the country.

"Democracy is messy, but can this reinvigorate our party and wake up voters who have disengaged long before the June debate? Absolutely. The short road to Election Day will benefit us, not harm us."

Clooney referenced the French left-wing parties' coalition against the far right in recent elections as an example of effective political strategy, suggesting that Democrats could similarly rally together to prevent a Trump presidency.

"Joe Biden is a hero. He saved democracy in 2020. We need him to do it again in 2024," Clooney concluded.