Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, criticized actor George Clooney for releasing an op-ed calling for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, weeks after holding a fundraiser for Biden.
In a video posted to X, Portnoy slammed Clooney for releasing an op-ed in the New York Times stating that Biden, whom he held the star-studded fundraiser for three weeks ago, was the “same man” at his party as Americans had “witnessed at the debate” on June 27 against former President Donald Trump.
The Hollywood fundraiser, which also featured actress Julia Roberts and late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, raised more than $30 million for the Biden campaign, according to ABC News.
Portnoy described Biden as being a “vegetable” and went on to mock Clooney for just now coming out with this information.
“George Clooney, what a f**king hero this guy is,” Portnoy began. “Comes forward today. Now this guy, Clooney, threw a fundraiser, raised tens of millions, co-chair for Biden, three weeks ago. Today, he comes out, he’s like, ‘Guess what? The guy you saw in the debate? That vegetable? That’s f**king Biden, he’s a vegetable. He was a vegetable three weeks ago.'”
Portnoy continued to criticize Clooney for “acting” as if he was “doing some heroic thing” by implying that a presidential candidate in a seemingly “vegetable” state could not run for president.
“So, what George? If he didn’t do the debate, Biden, and wasn’t a vegetable, you were just going to keep your mouth shut?” Portnoy continued. “Like, what’s the deal there? And, by the way, if you just found out Biden was a vegetable three weeks ago, where have you been for two years? Everyone knows he’s a f**king vegetable.”
“The guy can’t get on and off a stage without getting lost,” Portnoy continued. “He talks about dead people like he had lunch with them yesterday. He can’t f**king ride his bike without falling down. He can’t get up and down f**king Air Force One without taking a tumble. No shit, he’s a vegetable; he’s been a vegetable for two f**king years. Democrats don’t f**king care.”
In Clooney’s op-ed in the New York Times, the actor stated that he loved Biden and considered “him a friend” but added that Democrats were “not going to win” the presidential election with Biden:
I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced.
But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe “big F-ing deal” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.
Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw. We’re all so terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term that we’ve opted to ignore every warning sign. The George Stephanopoulos interview only reinforced what we saw the week before. As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath our turn down the volume whenever we see the president, whom we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.
Clooney’s op-ed comes after Biden’s lackluster debate performance where he appeared to freeze, spoke with a hoarse voice, and was unable to get through his prepared closing statement without making errors.
In the aftermath of the debate, several donors and Democrats have come out calling for Biden to “step aside” and withdraw from the presidential race. Several Democrats, voters, and donors have also questioned if Biden is able to serve another term.
While Biden has continued to receive rising pressure to withdraw from the race, he and his campaign have maintained that he is not dropping out.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.