Hollywood moguls want to replace Biden for America’s leading role
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A slew of Hollywood heavyweights are calling on President Biden to step aside following his disastrous debate performance last week. Several feel deceived by the White House and top campaign officials for keeping Biden's age issues a secret while they promoted his candidacy and donated millions.
Why it matters: The Democratic party has for decades relied on Hollywood to drum up support in the final months of the general election. Now, that alliance is being tested.
- Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel began sounding the alarm the Saturday after the debate, telling journalist Tina Brown at the Aspen Ideas Festival, that Biden shouldn't be running. "He and his cohorts have told us that he's [been] healthy for over a year," he lamented.
- Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings called on Biden to step aside on Wednesday, he told The New York Times. He and his wife have donated millions to Democrats over the past few years, including $1.5 million for Biden's 2020 election and $100,000 to his 2024 race.
- IAC chairman Barry Diller told The Ankler that he and his wife, designer Diane von Fürstenberg, were no longer supporting Biden as the nominee, after having contributed to his campaign.
Zoom out: The comments aren't just disastrous for the Biden campaign, but the party writ large, with some Hollywood donors vowing to yank all funds down the ballot until Biden is out.
- Abigail Disney, a longtime Democratic supporter, told CNBC she planned to stop any contributions to the party "unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket."
Zoom in: Several Hollywood A-listers have expressed frustration with movie mogul-turned-investor Jeffrey Katzenberg, who serves as co-chair of Biden's reelection campaign, per the Financial Times.
- Donors feel deceived by Katzenberg and other campaign officials for failing to disclose how serious Biden's aging issues had become, per the FT and The Ankler. Katzenberg has himself donated millions to Biden's reelection campaign.
- The Biden campaign and Katzenberg did not comment.
Between the lines: Biden has relied heavily on the support of Hollywood heavyweights throughout his campaign.
- The Biden campaign raised $30 million at a fundraiser last month with former President Barack Obama, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
- A glitzy fundraiser the month prior featuring Obama and former President Clinton as well as Stephen Colbert and performances by Queen Latifah, Lizzo and others brought in $26 million for the campaign.
The big picture: Hollywood has generally shown more support for Democrats in recent years, for a variety of possible reasons, including increased union activity amongst actors, writers and directors.
- Hollywood's support has mostly been translated through large fundraising events, concerts and benefits. In recent years, more Republican media companies are trying to break into Hollywood, citing an opportunity gap.
