George Clooney has singled out Maryland Governor Wes Moore as someone he believes could lead the Democratic Party. In a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper, the actor praised Moore’s record and composure, pointing to his response to the recent collapse in Baltimore as one example of steady leadership.
“He is the guy that has handled this tragedy in Baltimore beautifully,” Clooney said. “He had two tours of duty in Afghanistan, active duty. He speaks sort of beautifully. He’s smart. He ran a hedge fund. He ran the Robin Hood Foundation. He’s a proper leader.”
Clooney added, “I like him a lot. I think he could be someone we could all join in behind.”
Tapper’s interview covered several topics, including Clooney’s July 2024 opinion piece for The New York Times. In it, Clooney called for President Joe Biden to end his campaign following a widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump. At the time, Clooney had just helped raise $30 million for Biden’s re-election effort during a Los Angeles fundraiser.
In the op-ed, Clooney described seeing a version of Biden he did not recognize. “The one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can,” he wrote. He also accused party leaders of ignoring public concern after the debate, saying, “We are not going to win in November with this president.” Despite reported efforts from Biden’s team to prevent publication, the piece ran. Biden suspended his campaign on July 21.
When asked by Tapper if he considered writing the op-ed a brave act, Clooney disagreed. “I don’t know if it was brave. It was a civic duty. I’m a Democrat in Kentucky, so I get it. When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought that was time to…”
Tapper asked whether he faced backlash for the decision. “Some people, sure,” Clooney said. “That’s OK. Listen, the idea of Freedom of Speech — the specific idea of it — is you can’t demand Freedom of Speech and then say, ‘But don’t say bad things about me.’ That’s the deal. You have to take your stand if you believe in it. Take a stand, stand for it and then deal with the consequences. That’s the rules.”
Clooney endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden’s exit but expressed disappointment that the party did not hold a full primary. “It’s hard to run against yourself and say, ‘Well, I disagree with all this,’” he said, referencing Harris’s need to separate her campaign from the administration’s record. He suggested the party would have benefitted from open competition and named several governors as strong voices, including Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, and Wes Moore.
Moore, a first-term governor, has drawn attention for his resume and communication style. Before entering politics, he served in the military and later ran a nonprofit organization focused on fighting poverty. Clooney noted that Moore has qualities that could unify different parts of the party.
Clooney is currently appearing on stage in a Broadway production of Good Night, and Good Luck, a play adapted from the 2005 film he directed. The work centers on broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow and his coverage of Senator Joseph McCarthy, a moment Clooney sees as relevant to current debates about media, responsibility, and public trust. “It doesn’t matter what political bend you are on… those are extraordinarily powerful words for who we are at our best,” he said.
