ABC News host George Stephanopoulos has been blasted for reportedly admitting that President Joe Biden did an abysmal job in their pivotal interview.
Stephanopoulos suggested that Biden may not be fit to continue serving for another four years following an uncomfortable interview between the two. However, he chose to keep a majority of his opinions concealed from the general public.
Allegedly, his true sentiments have now surfaced in the book titled Uncharted: How Trump Defeated Biden, Harris, and overcame the challenges in the most tumultuous campaign in history, authored by former ABC producer Chris Whipple.
According to the book, an individual within the industry contended that Stephanopoulos’ public declarations in support of presidential hopeful Biden contradicted his private expressions.
The author accused Stephanopoulos of questioning the president “gently, like a grandson” when they had an unedited sit-down interview on July 5, 2024.
At the time, Biden was hoping to run a second winning presidential campaign against his rival Donald Trump, despite just giving a shameful performance in their debate.
In the live face-off, the incumbent leader had sputtered wordlessly and mumbled through unrecognizable responses as Trump dominated the stage.
During Biden’s half-hour interview with Stephanopoulos , which took place in the vital swing state of Wisconsin, the interviewer asked the 81-year-old about his debate performance.
“Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden said when asked about his cognitive abilities.
“Every day, I’ve had tests. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, I’m running the world.
“And that’s not — it sounds like hyperbole, but we are the central nation of the world.”
At the end of their conversation, Stephanopoulos cheerfully thanked the president for his time.
However, according to Whipple, the ABC host wasn’t so cheerful when colleagues asked about the president’s condition behind the scenes.
“Afterward, when I asked the ABC anchor by email for his impressions, he replied: ‘Heartbreaking up close,’” Whipple claimed.
The ABC host had previously expressed concern about the former president’s health when a passerby had asked him about the interview on the street.
“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” Stephanopoulos said in a video taken by the pedestrian.
The host, who has been with ABC News for 28 years, then later publicly apologized for disparaging the former president’s health.
“Earlier today, I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn’t have,” he said.
Following the interaction, ABC News wrote in a statement that “George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.”
Now, social media users are accusing the longtime ABC host of “gaslighting” them during the election.
Biden’s post-debate gaffes
President Joe Biden’s gaffes have increased at an alarming rate over the past few years.
- Biden alarmingly described himself as a “Black woman” during a radio interview with Philadelphia station WURD on Thursday.
- “I’m proud to be, as I said, the first vice president, first black woman… to serve with a black president,” Biden said, appearing to confuse himself with Vice President Kamala Harris.
- Biden previously served as VP to President Barack Obama, the US’ first black president, which is likely the source of his confusion.
- The president also attempted to go off-script and insult rival, Donald Trump, while addressing military families during the White House’s Fourth of July barbecue.
- While Biden came in strong, he fumbled his word and came crashing down.
- “By the way, you know I was at that World War I cemetery in France and a – the one that one of our colleagues, a former president, didn’t want to go and be up there,” Biden said in an apparent dig at former president Donald Trump.
- “I probably shouldn’t even say that. Anyway,” he continued as his voice dimmed.
- After shocking the audience, he quickly went back on script and tried to get the energy back up.
“The media and Democrats tried gaslighting us for 4 years that everything was fine despite what our own eyes were seeing […] never let them forget,” one popular X account posted.
After speaking with those close to the election and writing about Trump’s triumphant win, Whipple deemed the former president’s campaign staffers “delusional.”
“The closest advisers to Biden believed, despite all the evidence, that Joe Biden was capable of running for reelection, of winning and of serving another four years,” he said during an interview with CNN’s Laura Coates Live.
ABC News did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for more information.
George Stephanopoulos’ political background
George Stephanopoulos interviewed President Biden on July 5. Here’s all you need to know about the ABC anchor,
Early career
- Began his political career as an aide to Ohio Congressman Ed Feighan before serving as his Chief of Staff
- Worked on 1988 presidential campaign of Greek-American liberal Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988
- Appointed executive floor assistant to House majority leader Dick Gephardt in 1989
Time with Clinton Administration
- Stephanopoulos joined Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign as deputy campaign manager in 1991
- Tapped as top aide in President Clinton’s Administration in 1992
- Served as Clinton’s senior advisor for policy and strategy during the president’s first term
- Resigned from the Clinton Administration in 1996 citing stress, fatigue, and depression
Tenure at ABC News
- Stephanopoulos joined ABC News in 1997 as an analyst after his tenure with the Clinton Administration
- He began hosting This Week on ABC in 2002 until 2010 (returning as an anchor in 2012)
- Stephanopoulos has interviewed three presidents including, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama
- He’s also interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and former FBI Directory James Comey
- Stephanopoulos has earned three Emmy Awards, a DuPont Award, three Murrow Awards, and two Cronkite Awards for his work in journalism
