Hollywood Showrunner Withdraws Support, Says "When Joe Finally Leaves, I Will Stand and Applaud"

President Joe Biden's support is wavering after his dismal performance at the first 2024 presidential debate. Several wealthy contributors, including Hollywood producer Damon Lindelof, now refuse to endorse him. In a critique article for Deadline, Lindelof urged other 'supporters' to 'stop giving' money to a candidate who he believes should withdraw from the race.

"My name is Damon Lindelof. I am a lifelong Democrat and I love my complicated, glorious country. When they text you asking for cash, text back that you’re not giving them a penny and you won’t change your mind until there’s change at the top of the ticket. And when Joe finally leaves the mound, I will stand and applaud. Because he truly pitched a great game."

He continued, "I am not writing this anonymously because I’m asking others in positions of influence to do the same. I don’t know if what I have to say will matter, but I know what my eyes, ears, and heart tell me. I’ve been asleep at the wheel and it’s time to wake the f-k up. There is a choice before us and the choice is this – Do we leave our pitcher on the mound or do we go to the bullpen for relief?" He argued, "Our president’s debate performance has been characterized in many ways...disappointing, upsetting, terrifying… but for me, it was simply game-changing. So yes, let’s go with the bullpen, please. Let’s go with relief." 

Admitting that in the past he had celebrated Biden's win, he explained, "Joe is a good man and a great president. And he has risen to leadership despite a level of loss and suffering that would bring me to my knees. I believe in Joe Biden. I believe in him so much that we wrote him a sizeable check as recently as two weeks ago," given his opponent— Donald Trump. Outlining why Trump was an even worse choice, he penned, "The liar. The cheater. The rapist. The felon. Immune, immune, immune, courtesy of the highest court in the land. If elected, he would replace the two most conservative justices on that court with two who are thirty years younger." 

Lindelof also vehemently criticized the recent U.S. Supreme Court's 'immunity' ruling in favor of the Republican leader. "[The ruling] means my teenage son will be seventy before there’s even a chance at a balanced court. So what is the remedy for imbalance? Checks. Because the checks are what get us in the room where it happens. I wish that wasn’t true. I wish it was strength of character or viability of ideas. But it’s...Checks [that] give us access to power and it is the power that is needed to persuade our pitcher (Biden) to come out of the game...we’re just here in the stands. We can shout as much as we want, but the pitcher will ignore us despite our checks. Fortunately, he’s not the only one we’re writing them to."

"His teammates (Democratic party) are right there next to him. If they can be compelled to walk over to the mound, not just one or two of them, but the manager and the catcher and the entire infield…maybe, just maybe, he will hand them the ball. And we can get our reliever in. And so, I propose a DEMbargo. No checks [to be] written. No ActBlue links clicked. For anyone. When a country is not behaving how we want them to, we apply harsh economic sanctions. It’s a give and take — Short-term hurt for long-term healing. Is it misguided to punish the entire team for the stubbornness of the pitcher? Maybe. But it’s also common sense that if he stays in, they will also lose. A rising tide lifts all boats. A falling Biden sinks them." 

As per Fox News, the Watchmen director concluded, "I will admit, I am driven by the hubris implicit in thinking anything a Hollywood Elite says will matter to anyone. But I am also driven by purpose. And the polling. Oh God, the polling. He was behind before the debate. And it will not get better. But I’m ready to hear the walkout song for our closer. And once I do, I’m going to double the size of the checks…I’m going to write so many damn checks my hand will cramp. God bless you for making it through this stream of conscientious consciousness and God bless America."