Hollywood Democrats are boosting donations to Vice President Kamala Harris, whose presidential campaign is gaining momentum with a string of celebrity endorsements.
Democratic fundraiser and actor George Clooney, who in a July 10 New York Times op-ed called on Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential bid, voiced his support for Harris on Tuesday morning after Biden dropped out of the race over the weekend.
“President Biden has demonstrated what true leadership is. He is once again saving our democracy, and we are all so excited to do all we can to support Vice President Harris in her historic challenge,” Clooney said in a statement to CNN's Jake Tapper.
“Lost” producer Damon Lindelof said Monday that calls for a so-called “embargo” on donations from Hollywood to Democrats have been lifted since Biden passed the baton.
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Actor George Clooney and Vice President Kamala Harris. (Neal P. Mockford | Ting Sheng/Bloomberg)
In an Instagram post, Lindelof said Biden's decision left him with “a deep sense of relief, gratitude… and, for the first time, genuine excitement for the upcoming election.”
“Needless to say, DEMBARGO is lifted. Here we go!” Lindelof added.
With Biden dropping out of the race, Hollywood heavyweights including rapper Cardi B, Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis and TV producer Shonda Rhimes have enthusiastically endorsed Harris.
“We are all rooting for Kamala Harris! We started working for her the moment she announced,” Andy Spahn, a Hollywood Democratic fundraiser and president of the consulting firm Gongling Lin Spahn, told Reuters.
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Hollywood celebrities including, from left, Jamie Lee Curtis, Barbra Streisand and rapper Cardi B have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after President Biden dropped out of the presidential race. (Rodan Eckenroth/Matt Winkelmeyer/Chance Ye/Getty Images)
Harris, the vice presidential candidate and presumptive Democratic nominee, walked out to Beyoncé's “Freedom” during her first official visit to campaign headquarters on Monday evening. CNN reported that Harris' team received permission to use the song from Beyoncé's representatives.
A June fundraiser hosted by Clooney and actress Julia Roberts raised more than $30 million, which the Biden campaign said was the largest fundraiser in Democratic history.
But after Republican candidates Trump and Biden's shaky performance in the June 27 presidential debate, Clooney and others publicly called on the president to end his campaign.
Disney heiress Abigail Disney, who had said “the Democrats will lose” if Biden comes out on top, told CNBC that Harris is a great candidate and said she has resumed donating to Democrats.
“I'm on her side,” actor Bradley Whitford posted on X. Whitford plays a fictional White House staffer on The West Wing.
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After Vice President Kamala Harris became the leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, her presidential campaign received a flood of donations from Hollywood. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Curtis, who won an Oscar for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” said she supported Biden's decision to endorse Harris. Singer Barbra Streisand said Harris “will take over Joe Biden's job and be a great president.”
Rhimes, the creator of “Grey's Anatomy” and “Scandal,” posted a photo of herself standing alongside Harris to show her support.
“I supported her when she ran for Senate in 2016. [vice president] And I continue to support her today,” Rimes wrote on Instagram.
Many other celebrities also expressed their support, including “Woman King” actress Viola Davis, “Abbott Elementary” actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles.
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Cardi B proudly proclaimed her call for Harris to replace Biden shortly after the June 27 presidential debate.
“Ahahahaha let's go. I told you all Kamala was supposed to be the nominee in 2024,” the musician wrote to X.
Reuters contributed to this report.
