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Nancy Pelosi (and George Clooney) ramp up the pressure on Joe Biden

Pelosi stopped short of advocating either way on the Biden question.

LAST UPDATE | 10 Jul 2024

president-joe-biden-greets-george-clooney-at-a-reception-for-kennedy-center-honorees-in-the-east-room-of-the-white-house-in-washington-dc-on-sunday-december-4-2022-the-honorees-are-george-clooney President Joe Biden greets George Clooney in 2022. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

DEMOCRATIC PARTY VETERAN Nancy Pelosi has said that time is running out for US President Joe Biden to make a final decision on his reelection bid, but stressed the call was his to make.

Despite Biden insisting he is staying in the race, Pelosi – the former speaker of the House of Representatives and an influential voice in the party – suggested the president still could step aside amid a Democratic divide over his candidacy.

“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she told MSNBC.

“We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because the time is running short.”

Pelosi stopped short of advocating either way on the Biden question.

“I want him to do whatever he decides to do, and that’s the way it is,” she said. “Whatever he decides, we go with.”

In a tight spot

washington-united-states-of-america-04th-dec-2022-kennedy-center-honoree-actor-george-clooney-arrives-for-a-reception-honoring-the-45th-annual-kennedy-center-honors-hosted-by-united-states-preside George Clooney honoured at a Kennedy Centre ceremony hosted by the Bidens in 2022. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Actor George Clooney has weighed into the debate about Biden’s staying in the race with an opinion piece in the New York Times today, in which he argued the incumbent should drop out. 

“We are not going to win in November with this president,” said the Ocean’s Eleven star.

Clooney, a longtime Democratic supporter and fundraiser, wrote: 

“I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, he’s won many of the battles he’s faced.

“But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe “big F-ing deal” Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.

“Was he tired? Yes. A cold? Maybe. But our party leaders need to stop telling us that 51 million people didn’t see what we just saw.”

Supporters and doubters in Congress

Biden, 81, has corralled much-needed support from some top Democrats, but several elected members of the party have publicly expressed concerns about his mental fitness after his disastrous debate performance last month against Republican challenger and former president Donald Trump.

Seven House Democrats have openly called on Biden to not seek reelection. A handful of senators have also expressed concerns.

Yesterday, Colorado’s Michael Bennet became the first Senate Democrat to publicly turn on the president, saying Biden would lose if he stayed on the ballot – and perhaps cause congressional Democrats to lose as well.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide and take with it the Senate and the House,” Bennet told CNN, adding he believes the White House “has done nothing” to demonstrate they have a plan to win in November.

CNN’s Dana Bash reported yesterday that senators Bennet, Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester told colleagues at a Democratic caucus lunch that they did not believe that Biden can win the election.

With concerns over Biden’s ability to keep his campaign on track, all eyes will be on the President’s press conference at the NATO summit in Washington tomorrow, where he will have to respond to questions from reporters. 

Since the debate against Trump, Biden has appeared at campaign events and has done one media interview with Democrat-friendly TV network MSNBC.

Biden insisted that only “the Lord almighty” could persuade him to drop out of the race. 

In that interview, Biden was asked how he would feel if he stayed in race but ultimately failed to defeat Trump, who he has characterised as a threat to democracy.

“I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about,” the president replied, a comment that hardly set Democratic voters’ minds at ease.

George Stephanopoulos, the journalist who interviewed Biden, has since been caught saying he doesn’t believe Biden can continue to serve as president.

“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” Stephanopoulos said, in what he later described as a candid moment.

“The George Stephanopoulos interview only reinforced what we saw the week before,” Clooney said in his opinion piece.

Biden also called into MSNBC’s Morning Joe programme to say he was “not going anywhere”.

Biden insisted he still had the support of the Democratic Party.

“I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t absolutely believe that I’m the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in 2024,” he said.

With reporting from AFP

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John S
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    Mar 13th 2016, 3:57 PM

    Patty = Homer Simpson’s sister in law. Paddy = patron saint of Ireland.

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    Mute GameOverMan
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    Mar 13th 2016, 11:08 PM

    Its a good idea, i just think it should’ve been ya know funny. Don’t get me wrong, great pictures great idea but comedy wise its a weak piece.

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    Mute danny corrigan
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:02 PM

    Actually it’s Patrick, not Paddy

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    Mute John Collins
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:13 PM

    Actually it’s Padraig.

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    Mute Chief
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:14 PM

    Actually it’s Patricius if we go right back

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:28 PM

    Actually, it’s Pato.

    55
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    Mute George Hogan
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:44 PM

    Happy Patty’s Day one and all!

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    Mute Tom the Bomb
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:46 PM

    It was actually Cothraige if you want to be really pedantic.

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    Mute Chief
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:52 PM

    Care to explain Tom the bomb?

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:57 PM

    Actually it’s KISS MY ARSE and not as the Americans say ” kiss my ass”. So remember that loyke.

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    Mute Jimmy jones
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:24 PM

    Actually Tom the Bomb is correct . The guys name was Cothraige .
    If you want to be correct it is Cothraige’s day .

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    Mute Chief
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    Mar 13th 2016, 6:30 PM

    The “guys” name was Corthraige after he was the slave of four people is what I’m coming up with when I do a search Jimmy. Can you get me a link to what you seen as I’ve a good interest in this malarkey

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 14th 2016, 2:41 AM

    Patrick means Noble but is it Welsh or French lol.

    1
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    Mute Mark Byrne
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:00 PM

    I called my son Patrick because he was born on Saint Patrick’s day, did I ever tell you about my son pancake…..

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Mar 13th 2016, 9:53 PM

    Wha did st paddy say when he was driving the snakes out of Ireland?

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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Mar 13th 2016, 9:54 PM

    Yiz alri in the back ? I have my coat, gone !!

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    Mute Larry Doyle
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:30 PM

    Looking forward to celebrating Depenance Day in July.

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    Mute Lad
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    Mar 13th 2016, 7:08 PM

    Am I the only person who is as annoyed as it being called paddy’s day than pattys day?! It’s St Patrick’s day if your going to go serious about it..

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:00 PM

    As he is not an officially recognised saint, then Patrick’s Day would be more apt

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    Mute Uncle Denise
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:01 PM

    I thought paddy was a term used by the brits for the Irish. Correct me if I’m wrong.

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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:04 PM

    It is a term used by the English – but the more derogatory term would be “Micks”.

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    Mute Smiley
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    Mar 13th 2016, 10:13 PM

    Or, Mickey Doolin.

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 14th 2016, 3:04 AM

    Presidance Day was fun… lol.

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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:15 PM

    Same shít story surfaces every year.

    The Yanks call it Patty,
    The Brits called us Paddys

    His name is St. Patrick……….

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    Mute Sean Costello
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:21 PM

    We make a big deal of not calling it pattys while at the same time calling it paddy’s, which was a derogatory term the english used for us. It’s neither paddy not patty.

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    Mute Caroline McQ
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:31 PM

    Paddy is not a derogatory word if it is your name. Paddy is a common short version of Patrick or Padraig.

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:10 PM

    Just like African Americans using the N word, we’re taking ownership of paddy and feck the tans

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:13 PM

    If your auntie Patty had balls she would be your uncle Paddy

    67
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    Mute pZTahAXy
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:31 PM

    What about her moustache?

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 14th 2016, 3:05 AM

    Or making oyster soup lol.

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    Mute UM
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:05 PM

    Can we just get over it. Who gives a crap what the Americans call the day

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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:36 PM

    Saint Patrick day that’s it.

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    Mute Del Haven
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:44 PM

    Nope

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    Mute Notthatguy
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    Mar 13th 2016, 9:53 PM

    Its get hammered day to be fair…

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    Mute Alan Carthy
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:57 PM

    Who is st paddy It Saint PATRICK always has n always will me #respectfortheman

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    Mute Avril McLoughlin
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    Mar 13th 2016, 7:21 PM

    It’s St Patrick’s Day or La Fheile Padraig…..☘

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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:37 PM

    …..the 5th of July

    18
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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:02 PM

    Patrick was a gentleman, he came from decent people

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:53 PM

    He built a church in Dublin town, and on it put a steeple

    His Father was a Gallagher, his Mother was a Brady

    His Aunt was an O’Shaughnessy, and his Uncle was a Grady

    12
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    Mute Luke Victory
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    Mar 13th 2016, 6:29 PM

    Am intrigued to find out what a $5 red bull yellow irish bomb is…

    14
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 14th 2016, 2:44 AM

    Anything yellow might be scary…

    1
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    Mute Padraig
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:13 PM

    Dara O’Briain’s tweet also needs to be rolled out again.
    https://twitter.com/daraobriain/status/577773188370866176

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    Mute Aodh Ó Fógartaigh
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    Mar 13th 2016, 10:18 PM

    It won’t help that much, seeing as Americans usually ‘celebrate’ Paddy’s Day on the previous Saturday…

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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:35 PM

    Such ignorance

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    Mute Martin Greene
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    Mar 13th 2016, 10:52 PM

    Dumb yanks

    5
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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:19 PM

    Can’t wait to celebrate the

    4
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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 13th 2016, 5:17 PM

    Ok. The anticipation is killing me. SPIT IT OUT!

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    Mute Castalla Villas
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    Mar 14th 2016, 8:51 AM

    Absolute idiots who cares what they call it. They’ll eventually get around to calling thanksgiving something else.

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    Mute Pat Gorman
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    Mar 13th 2016, 8:52 PM

    The proper Irish name is ” lá le pádraig”.
    Only English speaking idiots beyond the Pale up there in Dublin call it “St. Patrick’s Day”.

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    Mute Amy Gaffney
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    Mar 13th 2016, 10:22 PM

    The stupid is strong with this one

    16
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    Mute Aodh Ó Fógartaigh
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    Mar 13th 2016, 10:27 PM

    Lá ‘le Phádraig’, to be precise (‘Lá ‘le’ =’Lá Fhéile’…)

    [From an English speaking 'idiot' up here in Dublin... which is, I think you'll find, within the Pale rather than beyond it. You're welcome.]

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    Mute Kirk Van Houten
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    Mar 13th 2016, 4:57 PM

    St. Pirlo

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    Mute Journaliest
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    Mar 13th 2016, 7:09 PM

    It’s St. P****y day.

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Mar 14th 2016, 5:45 AM

    Happy St Patty’s Day!

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