In a surprising turn of events, actor George Clooney has penned an op-ed urging President Joe Biden to step down and not seek re-election this fall. Clooney's op-ed has sparked a response from the Biden campaign, prompting a discussion on the president's stamina.

During an episode of CNN's "The Lead With Jake Tapper," Kayla Tausche, a senior White House correspondent for CNN, revealed that a Biden campaign official had informed her that Clooney had left a Hollywood fundraiser three hours before the president. Tapper seemed perplexed by the significance of this revelation, prompting Tausche to explain that it was meant to suggest that Biden's stamina is superior to Clooney's.

Clooney's op-ed comes on the heels of his participation in a fundraiser that raised over $30 million for Biden. The star-studded event, which included notable celebrities like Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, aimed to rally support for what is being called one of the most consequential US presidential races in history.

In the op-ed published in The New York Times, Clooney expressed his admiration for Biden but called on him to withdraw from the campaign. Clooney argued that the party would lose the presidential race as well as control in Congress if Biden remained the nominee. The actor also suggested alternative candidates such as Vice President Kamala Harris and Governors Wes Moore, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom.

Clooney drew attention to Biden's age in his op-ed, noting the difference he observed in the president's energy and presence during their recent Los Angeles event compared to previous years. The actor stated that the Biden he encountered at the fundraiser was not the same charismatic figure witnessed in earlier years or during the aforementioned debate against former President Donald Trump.

Interestingly, reports have surfaced that former President Barack Obama had prior knowledge of Clooney's op-ed but did not intervene. However, Biden's campaign has dismissed the actor's claims, with officials asserting that Biden exhibited vigor and stayed at the Los Angeles event for more than three hours, despite having just returned from Europe.

Biden, who recently refused to end his re-election bid following his lackluster debate performance, has faced criticism from Clooney and other prominent Democrats. Clooney's op-ed has added fuel to the ongoing discussion surrounding Biden's stamina and whether he is the right candidate to lead the party into the upcoming election.

As the presidential race heats up, it remains to be seen how Clooney's op-ed and the subsequent response from the Biden campaign will impact the narrative surrounding Biden's candidacy. Voters and political spectators alike will continue to closely observe the president's stamina and performance as the election draws nearer.