Disney Heiress Abigail Disney Halts Democratic Party Donations Until Joe Biden Drops Out of Presidential Race
Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of Walt Disney Company cofounder Roy O. Disney, said on Thursday that she won’t be contributing donations to the Democratic Party until Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 presidential race. Disney is the latest in a growing list of powerful Hollywood Democratic party donors who are withholding contributions in a bid to get Biden to step aside for fear that he’ll lose the race against Donald Trump.
“I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket,” Disney said in a statement to CNBC. “This is realism, not disrespect. Biden is a good man and has served his country admirably, but the stakes are far too high. If Biden does not step down the Democrats will lose. Of that I am absolutely certain. The consequences for the loss will be genuinely dire.”
Disney pointed to Vice President Kamala Harris as a better alternative to go head-to-head with Trump in November.
“We have an excellent Vice President. If Democrats would tolerate any of her perceived shortcomings even one tenth as much as they have tolerated Biden’s (and let’s not kid ourselves about where race and gender figure in that inequity) and if Democrats can find a way to stop quibbling and rally around her, we can win this election by a lot,” Disney said.
Gideon Stein, the president of the Moriah Fund, also told CNBC he’s decided to pause planned donations of $3.5 million. “Virtually every major donor I’ve talked to believes that we need a new candidate in order to defeat Donald Trump,” he said.
Netflix executive chairman and Dem donor Reed Hastings urged Biden to step aside on Wednesday, and “Lost” and “Watchmen” showrunner Damon Lindelof announced his intention to withhold Democratic party donations until Biden drops out as well, calling for a “Dembargo” on campaign contributions.
Tumult inside the Democratic party over the upcoming election hit a fever pitch after last week’s presidential debate between Biden and Trump, in which the president’s scratchy throat, trailed-off sentences and lack of vigor instilled fear in Dems (and, according to recent polls, voters) that Biden isn’t up to the challenge.
For his part, the president is standing his ground.
“I know the past few days have been tough,” the president said in a campaign email sent wide on Wednesday. “I’m sure you’re getting a lot of questions. I’m sure many of you have questions as well. So, let me say this as clearly and simply as I can: I’m running.”
Biden tried to ease fears from Democratic governors on a call on Wednesday, telling them he needs to get more sleep, work fewer hours and cut off events at 8 p.m. according to the New York Times.
The president will further attempt to quell concerns during an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday.
“The president is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday. “I don’t have anything else beyond that. He is staying, he’s staying in the race.”
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