ABC News host George Stephanopoulos is facing scrutiny following revelations in a new book that he privately characterized former President Joe Biden as “heartbreaking up close” during a pivotal interview in 2024, while outwardly supporting Biden in public statements.
The details are highlighted in Chris Whipple’s book, “Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History,” which explores key events of the 2024 presidential campaign. Whipple claims that Stephanopoulos’ private views differed from his public remarks concerning Biden.
The book covers a significant interview conducted on July 5, 2024, in Wisconsin. The interview was part of a White House strategy to recover from Biden’s debate performance against Donald Trump, which drew criticism due to Biden’s struggles with articulation, while Trump dominated the exchange.
During the interview, Stephanopoulos questioned Biden about his mental acuity. Biden replied, “Look, I have a cognitive test every single day. Every day, I’ve had tests. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, I’m running the world. And that’s not — it sounds like hyperbole, but we are the central nation of the world.”
Stephanopoulos maintained professionalism during the interview, thanking Biden at the end. However, Whipple reports that in a subsequent email exchange, Stephanopoulos described the encounter as “heartbreaking up close.”
The book also notes that Biden appeared “hoarse and semi-coherent” throughout the session, leaving Stephanopoulos reportedly disappointed. These revelations have sparked criticism from conservative circles, accusing Stephanopoulos and other media figures of downplaying Biden’s fitness for office.
Stephanopoulos also expressed doubts about Biden’s capabilities days later in a candid moment caught on video in New York City, where he remarked that he doubted Biden’s ability to serve another term. This comment led to an apology from Stephanopoulos.
ABC News clarified that Stephanopoulos’ comments reflected his views and not those of the network. Despite this, the interview did little to alleviate concerns regarding Biden’s debate performance and cognitive state.
Less than three weeks after the interview, Biden withdrew from the presidential race, ending his re-election bid amid internal party pressures and subsequently endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Whipple suggests in his book that Biden’s advisers were in a “fog of denial and delusion” about his re-election prospects. In a CNN interview, Whipple noted that Biden’s close circle believed in his capacity to run and serve another term.
Biden’s public errors increased in frequency leading up to the debate. In one interview with Philadelphia’s WURD radio, he mistakenly referred to himself as “the first Black woman,” confusing his identity with that of Vice President Kamala Harris.
During a Fourth of July address at the White House, Biden attempted to criticize Trump but stumbled over his words. “By the way, you know I was at that World War I cemetery in France and a – the one that one of our colleagues, a former president, didn’t want to go and be up there,” he said before trailing off, “I probably shouldn’t even say that. Anyway,” as his voice faded.
The interview with Stephanopoulos was crucial for Biden’s campaign, aimed at reassuring voters and party leaders. However, according to Whipple’s account, even those conducting the interview recognized Biden’s struggles.
Many political analysts consider the interview a turning point in the 2024 election cycle. Despite Biden attributing his debate performance to exhaustion and illness, concerns about his age and mental fitness persisted.
Whipple’s book is one of several recent works examining the end of Biden’s presidency and his unsuccessful re-election bid, offering insights into the internal discussions that led to his withdrawal and Trump’s return to the presidency.
ABC News has not issued an official response to the claims regarding Stephanopoulos’ private assessment of Biden during the interview.
