 Why wouldn't he reach out to his good friend that he loves so dearly, the president, current president? It's weird. Reached out to the former president, not the current president. The two men who were friendly both attended the L.A. fundraiser Clooney referenced in his piece where the actor said he'd beheld a diminished Biden and that the leader he interacted with was, quote, the same man we witnessed at the debate, end quote.