 Obama denies this. Politico, in their playbook, their daily newsletter, before Hollywood icon and Democrat donor George Clooney published his buzzy and brutal New York Times op-ed yesterday calling on Biden to step aside as the nominee, we are told he reached out to former President Barack Obama to give him a heads up. The two men, who are friendly, that's a bit of an understatement, both attended the LA fundraiser Clooney referenced in his piece.