George Stephanopoulos backed away Tuesday evening from an errant quip he made to a passerby in New York City in which he said that he didn’t think President Joe Biden would be able to serve another term in office.
“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” Stephanopoulos said in the leaked video.
The exchange was captured by TMZ, and the person lobbing a query about Biden’s fortitude appeared to be working for the outlet. The person approached Stephanopoulos as he was walking, in workout clothes, on the streets of New York City.
“Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn’t have,” Stephanopoulos said in a statement that was shared previously with both Puck News and TMZ. “George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News,” the Disney news unit said in a separate statement.
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Stephanopoulos had a recent first-hand view of Biden. The journalist, who co-anchors both “This Week” and “Good Morning America” for ABC News, snared the first TV interview with President Biden after his recent debate with former President Donald Trump, During that event, telecast by CNN, Biden appeared weakened and confused, and his performance that has spurred massive pushback from Democrats along with questions about his fitness to run for the White House in the 2024 presidential election.
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Stephanopoulos was persistent during the interview, asking Biden whether he had taken cognitive tests, and how he might feel if he continued to run for the White House, but lost the election to Trump.
Stephanopoulos is also a former White House communications adviser, having worked for former President Bill Clinton.