Actor Ben Stiller on Thursday lamented the state of the Democrat primary race following Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) departure, expressing disappointment that the presidential field writ large now lacks the diversity the Democrat Party consistently claims to champion.
“Regardless of politics, not having a woman candidate, or candidate of color, or even a younger candidate, in the presidential race is not good a thing for any party,” the Zoolander star said following Warren’s formal departure from the race.
Indeed, the Democrat field, which bubbled with the diversity Democrats claim to champion, has reduced to two frontrunners, both of whom stand as white septuagenarians with decades-long careers in politics.
The field started out with Pete Buttigieg (D), a gay candidate, Julián Castro (D), a Hispanic candidate, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a black candidate, and a host of women, including Marianne Williamson (D) and Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Notably, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) officially remains in the presidential race.
Nonetheless, the top two candidates are now Joe Biden (D), 77, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), 78, who are currently separated by 65 delegates. If Sanders secured the Democrat nomination and defeated President Trump in November, he would be the oldest elected president, turning 80 during his first year in office. If anything, the racial makeup of the Democratic field as it stands today is a reflection on the Democrat party, it’s leadership at the DNC, and untimely its voters.
Ben Stiller has positioned himself as an outspoken voice for progressive causes, even hitting the road for Bill and Hillary Clinton’s speaking tour last year.