So far, ABC News has President Biden spoke with host George Stephanopoulos on Friday.
Concerns about Biden’s age and viability have come to the forefront since last week’s debate, when he was widely criticized for repeatedly losing his train of thought, struggling to answer questions and sounding weak. While the White House called the debate a “bad night,” a growing number of Democrats, newspapers and media pundits are calling for Biden to step aside from the 2024 campaign.
The interview with Stephanopoulos is seen as a chance for Biden to demonstrate his ability to get things done, but the fact that it was pre-recorded has raised questions.
It’s unclear how much time was allotted for the interview, and as Biden seeks to salvage his campaign and reassure anxious Democrats, the length of the interview and how carefully and intently he appears and sounds while speaking may be as important as the actual answers he gives.
Biden will give his first post-debate interview to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Friday.
President Biden is scheduled to appear in a pre-taped interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos on Friday. (Getty Images)
ABC News did not respond to a series of questions Wednesday, including whether the Disney-owned network plans to air footage that could shed new light on Biden’s mental state.
While much of the attention will likely be on Biden, questions about how ABC News will handle the interview have been heightened by previous political coverage.
In 2018, ABC News was heavily criticized for extensive editing of former FBI Director James Comey’s interview with Stephanopoulos, his first since his abrupt firing by then-President Trump the previous year. The full transcript released by ABC News revealed that the network chose not to air several key moments in Sunday night’s special, including Comey’s sharp criticism of former President Obama.
ABC News did not respond to questions about whether the full transcript and raw footage of Biden’s interview would be posted online or how long the interview would be.
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“Not only was the selection of George Stephanopoulos as the interviewer deliberate, it was deliberately recorded and chopped up and edited. ABC can and should provide a full transcript of the interview, but it’s pointless if we don’t get to see the raw, unedited video for ourselves,” NewsBusters editor-in-chief Curtis Hack told Fox News Digital.
“If the transcript doesn’t show Biden stumbling or tripping on camera, this could become Robert Herr 2.0,” he continued. “If this were a Republican president in a crisis like this, ABC would be blackmailed into doing it live, while other networks would adopt a trust-but-don’t-verify strategy with one of their own.”
President Biden’s stunning debate performance has caused confusion among Democrats, with many calling for him to withdraw from the presidential race. (Getty Images)
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According to ABC News, a “first look” at Biden’s interview will air Friday on “World News Tonight,” with other segments airing Saturday and Sunday on “Good Morning America.” An “extended interview” will air Sunday on “This Week” and Monday on “Good Morning America,” both of which are hosted by Stephanopoulos.
Biden’s stunning debate performance sent far-reaching political shockwaves. Liberal Media They called for him to withdraw from the presidential race.
Both Biden and the White House have repeatedly insisted he will continue to campaign. The White House also denied reports Wednesday that Biden had told key allies he was considering stepping down.
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