Rob Reiner Urges Biden to Step Down “If the Convicted Felon Wins, We Lose Our Democracy”
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Rob Reiner, director of classics like “Stand by Me” and “When Harry Met Sally,” urged President Joe Biden to reconsider his 2024 reelection bid. Reiner took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday to express his concerns. He penned, “It’s time to stop f-king around.
If the Convicted Felon wins, we lose our Democracy. Joe Biden has effectively served the United States with honor, decency, and dignity. It’s time for Joe Biden to step down.” Reiner’s harsh statement came following Biden’s weak debate performance against former President Donald Trump on June 27.
The director’s comments reflect mounting anxiety within the Democratic Party about Biden’s ability to defeat Trump in the upcoming November election. Reiner, a long-time supporter of Biden and significant donor to the Democratic Party, joined other high-profile figures in switching sides. Acclaimed author Stephen King also echoed Reiner’s sentiments on Monday.
King stated on X, “Joe Biden has been a fine president, but it’s time for him—in the interests of the America he so clearly loves—to announce he will not run for re-election.” Despite the growing pressure, Biden has doubled down and defended himself, stressing that he would win against Trump. In a recent interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, Biden stated, “I’m the most qualified person to beat him, and I know how to get things done.”
He attributed his poor debate performance to exhaustion, calling it “a bad episode” with “no indication of any serious condition.” Reiner’s involvement in Democratic politics is not new. He recently hosted a campaign fundraiser for Vice President Kamala Harris at his Brentwood home. The director has a history of supporting Democratic candidates, including Al Gore in 2000 and Hillary Clinton in 2008, according to The Movie Maker.
Showrunner Damon Lindelof and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings have also urged Biden to withdraw from the race. Hastings, a significant Democratic fundraiser, shared his thoughts with The New York Times: “Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous.”
With the 2024 election just around the corner, tension within the Democratic Party is high. Many have commended Biden’s service, but more and more people are starting to think that making a change could be key to beating Trump. However, Biden is sticking to his decision to run. He said, “If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race.
But the Lord Almighty’s not coming down.” In a fiery interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Monday, Biden declared to hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, “I’m getting so frustrated by the elites…in the party…Any of these guys that don’t think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention.”
