How you can watch Biden's high-stakes interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos tonight
All eyes will be on President Biden on Friday as he appears in his first televised interview since his disastrous June debate. The high-stakes conversation with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos will be an opportunity for Biden, 81, to present a sharper image than he did during the debate with former President Donald Trump, when Biden spoke haltingly and appeared to lose his train of thought multiple times.
While Biden has insisted that he will not drop out of the race, the interview comes at a critical time for the president. Pressure has mounted this week from elected Democrats and donors for Biden, the oldest president in American history, to either end his campaign or assuage concerns about his ability to lead. A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that 60% of respondents consider Biden not fit for another term.
?? When is the interview?
Biden was interviewed by Stephanopoulos after a campaign rally in Madison, Wis., on Friday afternoon.
The taped interview will be aired in its entirety as a primetime special on Friday at 8 p.m. both Eastern and Pacific time.
The first clip from the interview aired on World News Tonight With David Muir. In the excerpt, Stephanopoulos confronted Biden over his lackluster debate performance, which Biden blamed on being sick with a cold.
“It was a bad episode,” Biden said when asked if the night was a bad episode or a more serious condition. “No indication of a more serious condition. I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparation. It was a bad night.”
Biden also said he had not watched the debate since last week.
ABC is scheduled to air the broadcast again on Sunday, on This Week With George Stephanopoulos.
?? How can I watch it?
The taped interview airs in its entirety Friday, July 5, at 8 p.m. both ET and PT. You can watch it on:
ABC television stations
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, chief anchor of ABC News, will question the president in the pivotal interview.
Stephanopoulos, who served in the Clinton administration as the senior adviser to the president for policy and strategy, is expected to conduct an “intensive and probing” interview, according to the Associated Press.
Biden is said to have been “preparing aggressively” for his talk with Stephanopoulos.
?? Why is Biden being interviewed?
Since the June 27 debate with Trump, Biden has skepticism from party leaders, donors and voters over whether the president is fit to serve another term.
The latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll reveals that 60% of Americans say Biden is not “fit to serve another term as president,” while under a quarter of Americans say he is fit. About 45% of Americans view Trump as more “presidential,” compared to 37% in Biden’s favor.
While the age of the two candidates has been a point of discussion among voters, Biden’s debate performance set him apart from his 78-year-old rival. During the event, Biden appeared to lose his train of thought and spoke haltingly several times.
Biden supporters, including first lady Jill Biden, attributed his performance to not feeling great after fighting a cold and recovering from jet lag from trips he took weeks prior to the debate.
Trump received a bump in approval over Biden following the debate, opening up a lead as big as 6 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 stay in the race.
However, some politicians, including some governors in blue states, are still expressing strong support for Biden.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, seen as a possible replacement should Biden drop out of the race, posted on X on Wednesday that he’s “all in.”
“@JoeBiden’s had our back. Now it’s time to have his,” the post read.
