Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg reportedly faced significant skepticism from important Democrat contributors who believed President Joe Biden was too old for another four years in office last year, according to a New York Times report. Serving as Biden’s re-election co-chair, Katzenberg tried to allay their concerns by inviting them to a White House meeting with Biden to persuade them to support the campaign. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) recalled that Katzenberg encouraged skeptical donors to “trust but verify,” and see for themselves how Biden performs in office. Ultimately, Katzenberg was successful in getting people to support the campaign.
The revelations come as concerns about Biden’s cognitive decline continue to grow. The 81-year-old president has recently made headlines for his erratic behavior during public events, such as wandering off by himself at a recent G7 event in Italy and appearing disoriented at a Juneteenth celebration at the White House. His physical frailty has also been a concern throughout his time in office, with several instances of him falling publicly and difficulties completing sentences during speeches and interviews.
A recent New York Times/Siena College poll found that 73 percent of registered voters believe Biden is too old to be an effective president. Despite this unpopularity, Jeffrey Katzenberg, a former Disney boss, has pledged to deliver “all the resources” that the deeply unpopular Biden will need to win re-election in 2024. At a recent Los Angeles event, Katzenberg called former President Donald Trump a “colossal asshole.