Celebrities including Aaron Sorkin, Robert De Niro and Barbara Stearns have expressed their support for US President Joe Biden's decision to end his presidential bid.
Hollywood is cheering Joe Biden after he dropped out of the presidential race. Many have expressed gratitude and relief. It has been mostly quiet in recent weeks. Only a few have called on him to drop out.
Just hours before Biden announced he was ending his candidacy and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin wrote in a New York Times op-ed that Democrats should elect Republican Mitt Romney to defeat former President Donald Trump in November as a “clear and powerful demonstration” of “keeping the lunatics out of power.”
But when Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, Sorkin backed away from the idea and endorsed Harris, who had already begun his campaign for the White House.
Among the Democratic supporters who have been vocal about their “opposition” to a second wave of Trump’s rise to power, many have praised Biden’s decision, including the famous actor Robert De Niro, who has always been a fierce critic of Trump and was one of the commentators on Biden’s campaign ads, and he told The Hill that he feels “respect, admiration and love” for Biden because of his decision.
“We should thank him for preserving our democracy,” Barbara Strass wrote on X.
Jon Stewart, a talk show host and comedian who criticized Biden's reluctance to consider withdrawing, briefly commented that Biden's decision was “legendary.”
Documentary producer Ken Burns said Biden “will be remembered as one of the greats,” saying that “history will recognize greater deeds than his… after leading the country from a time when successors failed and doing good things for all Americans.”
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill visited Biden at the White House in May. She thanked him and said he had done “unparalleled things in our lifetime” and had “restored honesty, grace and integrity” to the office after four years of lies, crime and chaos.
Comedian Cassie Griffin, who has received death threats for criticizing Trump, wrote: “Let’s make history!!!! Another one.”
'Star Trek' actor George Takei called Biden “a man of honor and goodness. A very successful president and a patriot” and urged people to “unite behind” Harris to defeat Trump
“Pod Save America” host Jon Favreau criticized Biden for staying in the polls. He praised Biden's decision, calling it a “brave and selfless act.”
“Democrats need to ‘really’ think outside the ‘winning is all that matters’ box,” wrote Chi, who recently tweeted that she doesn’t think Democrats will win without Biden. “If they don’t win, they won’t change anything. Now they need to change.”
Jamie Lee Curtis said she “wholeheartedly supports” Biden’s decision and Harris’s campaign, writing on Instagram: “She is trusted and tested. She is a champion for women and people of color. Her message is one of hope and unity for America in a time of great division.”
The outpouring of support Sunday was a marked change from recent sentiment, with only a handful of Hollywood’s biggest names calling on Biden to undo the election.
Just weeks after being the subject of a fundraiser for Biden's reelection campaign, George Clooney wrote an op-ed in The New York Times calling on Biden to drop out, saying the party should choose a new candidate.
Clooney acknowledged that the process would be “messy,” he wrote, but that it would “wake up” voters to align with the party.
Michael Douglas backs Clooney's views, saying he and Biden are “deeply concerned” about Biden's chances after his widely criticized performance in a televised debate with Trump.
Douglas, who hosted a Hollywood fundraiser for the president in April, said on The View: “This is so hard. I love you. … I’m not worried about today or tomorrow. But the next time, I’m worried, really worried.”
“Subtly charming student. Pop culture junkie. Creator. Amateur music specialist. Beer fanatic.”