Karine Jean-Pierre deflects “The View'”s question about Joe Biden feeling 'betrayed' by George Clooney
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Joy Behar asked the White House Press Secretary how Biden felt about the "pile-on to get him to step down" from Democrats and "movie stars."
Days after Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attempted to address commentary about the president's decision Tuesday on The View — though she ultimately deflected panelist Joy Behar's question about Biden feeling "betrayed" by George Clooney's impassioned call for him to bow out of the race.
Jean-Pierre appeared on the show to discuss the aftermath of Biden's decision not to seek re-election in the presidential race against Republican nominee Donald Trump, as well as to highlight what she cited as historic accomplishments from the Biden administration. During the interview, Behar turned to Jean-Pierre to ask her about Clooney, who published a New York Times essay on July 10, in which he pleaded for Biden to bow out of the race.
"There was a pile-on to get him to step down, by the Democrats — a lot of Democrats — and movie stars. George Clooney, for example," the 81-year-old said to Jean-Pierre. "Does Joe feel betrayed by any of that, or does he understand that it was for the country?"
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Joy Behar and Karine Jean-Pierre on 'The View'Jean-Pierre, 49, deflected the question by shifting the focus to Biden's upcoming address to the public, which comes amid his recovery from contracting COVID.
"He's going to speak tomorrow, we'll hear from him directly. He'll address whatever is on his heart. He has a big heart, he understands where people are," she said. "He gets it. He gets where we are as a country. Let's not forget, there's a lot at stake, there's a lot at stake, guys. A lot. Our democracy is at stake, a woman's right to choose and to make decisions on their own body is at stake."
Jean-Pierre continued: "I'm going to let him speak to this. It's really important that I came on the show, I wanted to share my thoughts as the White House Press Secretary, the person who's been speaking to him the last couple of years, but also to lift up what we've been able to do."
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Behar previously criticized Clooney for writing the op-ed, saying on the July 11 episode of The View that she was "mad at" the Hollywood icon, asking, "Couldn't he tell him that in person, for god's sakes?"
Jean-Pierre's words come amid a historic multi-day stretch in American political history, which began on July 13 when Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden later withdrew from the election cycle on Sunday, and he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement on the Democratic ticket.
The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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