Clooney: Harris Nomination Was Mistake After Defeat

George Clooney told CBS’ Sunday Morning that it was a “mistake” for Democrats to make Kamala Harris the 2024 nominee after Joe Biden withdrew, arguing she was forced to run against her record and faced an almost impossible task. He stands by his July 2024 New York Times op‑ed urging a quick primary to “battle‑test” alternatives and said he would write it again. Clooney acknowledged party leaders privately feared greater House and Senate losses with Biden atop the ticket but argued bypassing a primary disadvantaged whoever replaced him. He pushed back on criticisms — including from Hunter Biden, which he called “outright lies” — said President Obama did not prompt his op‑ed, declined to engage in a public spat, and wished Hunter well in his recovery. Clooney said he intervened out of civic duty and expressed concern about ongoing attacks on institutions that hold truth to power. His comments, delivered after Kamala Harris’s defeat to Donald Trump in November 2024, have reignited debate within Democratic circles over the selection process and its political costs.