Hollywood reacted to Biden’s announcement that he will halt his re-election campaign and endorse Kamala Harris for president on Sunday. Many, including names such as Barbra Streisand, Lee Daniels, the Clintons and the Obamas, celebrated Biden’s decision as a heroic and selfless move for the country.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote.
In a follow-up message, Biden explicitly endorsed Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
Early reactions included those from Gavin Newsom, California governor, who wrote, “President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
Barbra Streisand wrote on social media, “Joe Biden will go down in history as a man who accomplished significant achievements in his 4 year term. We should be grateful for his upholding of our democracy.”
Lee Daniels wrote, “Feeling proud to be an American on this historic day!”
Jon Favreau, of Pod Save America, wrote on social media, “A courageous and selfless decision. The President did what he’s done for the last four years – he listened to the American people and put the country’s interests ahead of his own. The exact opposite of Donald Trump.”
Ariana Grande also re-shared Biden’s post on her Instagram Story, where she included a link to register to vote as well.
Both Bill and Hilary Clinton swiftly praised Biden’s service and endorsed Harris for president. “We’ve lived through many ups and downs, but nothing has made us more worried for our country than the threat posed by a second Trump term,” their statement read. “He has promised to be a dictator on day one, and the recent ruling by his servile Supreme Court will only embolden him to further shred the Constitution. Now is the time to support Kamala Harris and fight with everything we’ve got to elect her. America’s future depends on it.”
Barack Obama also released a statement, honoring Biden in a lengthy statement that notably did not mention Harris. “Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded – again – that he’s a patriot of the highest order,” a portion read.
See more of Hollywood and beyond’s reactions below.
