Actress-turned-talk-show-host Drew Barrymore thanked President Joe Biden for what she described as a great year during a tone deaf Christmas-themed interview with him and first lady Jill Biden this week.
Citing the recent passage of the “Respect for Marriage Act,” which enshrined same-sex marriage into law, and the return of WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russia, Barrymore said that she feels “so good” about 2022 – a year that saw record inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I think that it’s a good time and a good year right now and we are going into the holidays and I’m a voracious news junkie and I watch the news every day, all night long,” Barrymore began.
“I am so aware of everything and I feel so good,” she continued. “The marriage equality and bringing Brittney Griner home. Parties working alongside of each other.”
Barrymore then cited the “functional” midterm elections – wherein some states like Arizona, Nevada, and Alaska waited several days to tally votes – as another success of Biden’s presidency, saying it gives her hope for 2023.
“An election that was functional and kept temperatures down. I am so excited and I’m looking back on 2022 with such fondness, and as you’re going into 2023, I just hope for you, for the very best, and I thank you for creating that feeling around for everybody,” she said.
“Giving me more credit than I deserve but thank you for saying that,” the president responded.
“Well, that’s how I truly feel and I’m honored to have the opportunity to tell you that,” she concluded.
The year 2022 also saw the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which Barrymore did not mention during her interview, even though she expressed great sorrow over it earlier this year. Speaking at Variety’s Power of Women event this past May, Drew Barrymore said she “couldn’t stop crying” after the leaked Supreme Court opinion indicated that Roe would meet its demise.
“The last, obviously, 24 hours, as in the last two years, as in maybe since the beginning of time, we’ve been living in a fight or flight state,” she said. “Yesterday I couldn’t stop crying at just everything and the state of the world, and today, my daughter walked in and she said, ‘Mom, I have a mission.’ And she read me a four-page speech that she wrote and she’s going to crusade to lower the age of voting rights to 16. And she spoke about women’s rights and I just sat there with my jaw open, just so relieved, so happy that she is this person.”