If only President Barack Obama were a Republican, then the public would realize he has been “a very successful” President, but Democrats, actor/activist George Clooney fretted, “are just very poor...at explaining” their accomplishments. The assessment from Clooney, who also declared “the President that I voted for, I’m very proud of,” came in a Meet the Press online “Press Pass” sit-down with David Gregory aired on the real Meet the Press. Clooney imagined that if he and Obama were Republicans:
I would be selling all of the, you know, you saved the auto industry and you got Osama bin Laden and you passed a health care bill that nobody could pass -- if that was a Republican issue. I would be able to sell his presidency as a very successful one. But Democrats are bad at that. We like to pick each other apart.
Clooney appeared Sunday on Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday to publicize the genocide in Sudan.
Audio: MP3 clip [1]
From the March 18 Meet the Press:
DAVID GREGORY: What about the guy who does have interest in being re-elected. There are some who believe that he’s now heading into calmer waters for re-election and that he looks pretty good. Do you see that as a danger sign. Do you think President Obama looks good to be re-elected?
GEORGE CLOONEY: I think he’s always looked good to be re-elected, even before the field, as we’re still looking to find out what the field is, because I happen to believe that Democrats are just very poor in general at explaining what it is when they accomplish something, I think they’re pretty bad at it. Republicans are very good at it. You know, I’m an old Democrat but I grew up around a lot of Republicans and, you know, if I was a Republican, if Obama was a Republican, I would be selling all of the, you know, you saved the auto industry and you got Osama bin Laden and you passed a health care bill that nobody could pass -- if that was a Republican issue. I would be able to sell his presidency as a very successful one. But Democrats are bad at that. We like to pick each other apart. That’s our thing, you know. So I think it’s going to be an interesting time, you know. Listen, The worst thing you could do is feel in any way safe or cocky about it because you will always lose.
GREGORY: Your friend, Matt Damon’s been critical of the President, saying that he’s disappointed. Do you share disappointment?
CLOONEY: Not in the least. But, you know, Matt and I are really dear friends and that’s what makes the world go around, you know, that we will disagree on things. Matt’s issues and a lot of it were about teaching and education. It’s a very important part for him. I, on the other hand, the issues that I believe in, and the President that I voted for, I’m very proud of.