ABC News host George Stephanopoulos sparked controversy when he was overheard saying he doesn’t believe President Joe Biden can serve another four years as president. The former Clinton communications director made the remarks to a passerby in New York, seemingly unaware he was being recorded.
Stephanopoulos later confirmed his comments in a statement to Puck News, saying he shouldn’t have shared his opinion. An ABC News spokesperson distanced the company from the remarks, stating that Stephanopoulos was expressing his personal viewpoint, not the position of the network.
The footage, which shows Stephanopoulos in workout clothes, was published by TMZ on Tuesday. In the clip, a passerby asks the host if he thinks Biden should step down, to which Stephanopoulos appears to respond, “I don’t think he can serve four more years.” The comment is significant, as Stephanopoulos has conducted several interviews with Biden, including a recent sit-down that was viewed by 8.5 million people.
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The interview was seen as crucial for Biden’s re-election efforts, as it aimed to demonstrate his cognitive abilities and alleviate concerns about his ability to serve as president. However, even Stephanopoulos’ interview didn’t impress Democratic strategists, with former Obama adviser David Axelrod delivering a scathing critique in an op-ed for CNN. Axelrod wrote that Biden’s performance during the debate was “awful” and that his interview with Stephanopoulos failed to quell the panic gripping the Democratic Party.
