How we deal with corrections
Advertisement
Theodore Schleifer
Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix who in recent years has one of the largest donors to the Democratic Party, on Wednesday called on President Biden to resign from his position as the most sensible on the Democratic presidential list.
Hastings has become one of the first to say publicly what many Democratic mega-donors say privately. “Biden will have to step aside to allow a strong Democratic leader to defeat Trump and ensure our security and prosperity,” he said in an email to the Times.
Biden and White House officials have said he has no plans to resign. But Hastings’ public statements constitute a chink in the armor of the president’s support.
Hastings and his spouse, Patty Quillin, joined the Democratic Party’s most generous donor couples during the Trump era. Together, they have donated more than $20 million to help the party in recent years, totaling $1. 5 million to help Biden in the 2020 presidential race, and $100,000 each. last summer to help Mr. Biden in 2024. The donations went to super PACs intended to help Democrats in the House and Senate.
Some Hollywood executives, who just toasted Biden at an impressive fundraiser last month, are beginning to publicly express their doubts. On Tuesday, government official Ari Emanuel expressed his own frustrations.
The political factor that Hastings has long been strongly associated with is school reform, while Quillin has placed specific emphasis on racial justice. Hastings has recently maintained a close relationship with Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, who is one of the other people running as a potential replacement for Biden, by donating $3 million in 2021 to help Newsom defeat the recall election he received. in front of.
Hastings helped discover Netflix about three decades ago and is now its CEO. In January 2023, he partially resigned from his CEO position so he could dedicate more time to his philanthropy, politics, and his true passion, skiing.
Rebecca Davis O’Brien contributed reporting.
Advertisement