All eyes will be on President Biden this Friday as he participates in his first televised interview since his difficult debate performance in June. This high-stakes conversation with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos presents an opportunity for Biden, 81, to demonstrate a sharper image than during his debate with former President Donald Trump, where Biden appeared to falter and lose his train of thought several times.
Despite Biden’s firm stance that he will not drop out of the race, the timing of this interview is crucial. Growing pressure from elected Democrats and donors this week has highlighted concerns about Biden, the oldest president in American history, and his capacity to lead. A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that 60% of respondents believe Biden is not fit for another term.
When is the interview?
Biden will be interviewed by Stephanopoulos following a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday afternoon.
The interview will be taped and then aired “in its entirety as a primetime special” on Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.
The first clip from the interview will air on World News Tonight With David Muir, which starts at 6:30 p.m. ET. ABC is also scheduled to re-air the broadcast on Sunday, during This Week With George Stephanopoulos.
How can I watch it?
- ABC smartphone app on smartphone or tablet
- ABC.com on a computer
- Connected devices on Roku, Apple TV+, and Amazon Fire TV
Who is interviewing Biden?
George Stephanopoulos, ABC News’ chief anchor, will conduct this pivotal interview.
Stephanopoulos, who served in the Clinton administration as the senior adviser to the president for policy and strategy, is expected to give Biden an “intensive and probing” interview, according to the Associated Press.
Biden has reportedly been “preparing aggressively” for his talk with Stephanopoulos.
Since June’s face-off with Trump, his Republican rival, Biden has faced concern from party leaders, donors, and voters about his fitness to serve another term. The latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed that 60% of Americans believe Biden is not “fit to serve another term as president,” while fewer than a quarter say he is still fit. About 45% of Americans view Trump as more “presidential,” compared to 37% in Biden’s favor.
Although the age of the two candidates has been a point of discussion among voters, Biden’s debate performance has particularly set him apart from his 78-year-old rival. During the debate, Biden appeared to lose his train of thought and spoke haltingly on several occasions.
Biden supporters, including first lady Jill Biden, attributed his performance to “not feeling great” after battling a cold and recovering from jetlag from recent trips.
Following the debate, Trump received a bump in support over Biden, opening up a lead as large as six points in some polls.
At least three Democratic representatives have called on Biden to step aside, and numerous others have voiced concern over his decision to remain in the race. However, some politicians, including several governors from blue states, continue to express strong support for Biden.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, seen as a potential replacement should Biden exit the race, posted on X, Wednesday that he’s “all in.”
“@JoeBiden’s had our back. Now it’s time to have his,” the post read.