Shortly after his high-stakes interview with Joe Biden last week, ABC News star anchor George Stephanopoulos admitted that the Democrat president is not fit to “serve another four years” as POTUS.
Stephanopoulos made the candid admission in a video obtained by TMZ.
While walking in New York City, Stephanopoulos said: “I don’t think he can serve four more years.”
The video emerged Tuesday and has been quickly spreading on social media.
WATCH:
#GeorgeStephanopoulos just made a STUNNING comment: he told someone on the streets of #NewYork that he doesn't think President #JoeBiden can serve another term! https://t.co/cFMK2Uxx4z pic.twitter.com/pxKkolFcGt
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 9, 2024
In response to the video, ABC News released a statement admitting the video was authentic while asserting:
“George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.”
Stephanopoulos later released a statement and appeared to be regretful of his candid admission.
“Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn’t have,” he said.
Biden’s gaslighting White House spokesman Andrew Bates responded by pointing to comments made during Tuesday’s press briefing by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Jean-Pierre told Fox News’s Peter Doocy that Biden is committed to serving a full second term in office.
The Biden campaign has not responded to Stephanopoulos’s comments.
Biden, who is exhibiting severely degraded mental and physical health at 81 would be 86 at the conclusion of a second term if he’s re-elected.
ABC’s swift clampdown on the Stephanopoulos bombshell did not occur in a vacuum, however.
The Disney-owned network has already landed the second presidential debate between Biden and President Donald Trump scheduled for September 10.
The debate will be moderated by ABC’s David Muir and Linsey Davis.
However, it’s unclear if the debate will proceed as planned.
Biden’s halting, frail showing last month could cause handlers to keep him out of the spotlight as much as possible.
Trump, meanwhile, is currently enjoying a polling lead, and may not want to risk giving Biden momentum.
ABC is hoping that both candidates will participate in the debate.
However, the perception that the network’s chief political anchor doesn’t believe Biden can fulfill his presidential duties for another four years likely doesn’t help.
Biden’s debate performance sparked unprecedented calls from members of the media and even a growing number of Democrats to withdraw from the 2024 race.
Biden has not budged, repeatedly saying he’s staying in the race and claiming he is the best choice to defeat Trump.
His interview with Stephanopoulos was widely seen as a test to show he has the mental capacity to continue his re-election bid.
However, the soft-ball 22-minute sit-down has not eased tensions within his party.
Biden raised eyebrows when he expressed uncertainty about whether he had watched the CNN debate, telling Stephanopoulos “I don’t think so, no.”
The comment even provoked mockery from CNN’s Jake Tapper, who moderated the first debate.
He also refused to commit to a cognitive test, repeatedly insisting he is tested every day in the role of the commander-in-chief.
Biden also irked Democrats when he said he would be content with a hypothetical defeat against Trump as long as he “gave it [his] all.”
READ MORE – CNN Drops the ‘Cheap Fakes’ Charade, Slams Biden as ‘Not Coherent’
