President Joe Biden is in danger of losing one of his key demographic of supporters and donors: liberals in the entertainment industry.
Hollywood has historically been a source of deep support for Biden, but after the octogenarian’s shaky debate performance, A-listers including director Rob Reiner, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, and “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof are calling on the president to step aside.
KNX News Chief Correspondent Charles Feldman spoke with USC professor Steve Caplan about whether it's fair to characterize Hollywood as revolting against Biden.
“I think that yes, there is real concern among folks in Hollywood and particularly donors and others who have been active in politics for a long time, but I also think it’s fairly representative of what we’re seeing across the country,” Caplan said.
He pointed to a recent CBS News poll showing that 72% of registered voters believe the president isn’t mentally fit to serve as president.
The major difference here is that Hollywood is an enormous source of money, particularly for Democratic candidates. Caplan said an erosion of support among donors can “cause real concern for a campaign” – and losing celebrity support comes with its own set of issues.
“When a leading Hollywood figure makes a statement about their support or lack of support for a candidate like Joe Biden, it's going to make news and it's going to get attention and it certainly has an impact that goes beyond just the fundraising,” he said.
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Biden is also facing calls to end his campaign from within his own party, with meetings among House and Senate Democrats scheduled for Tuesday to discuss the path forward.
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