It's been a tough week for Joe Biden.
His next big challenge is now to put up a brave front and convince his voters and donors in a crucial TV interview.
US President Joe Biden arrives to view the Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall from the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, July 4, 2024.
(Bloomberg)Biden's first interview after debate: When and How to WatchThe next biggest challenge for Joe Biden is the upcoming interview on Friday with ABC News.
The White House and the campaign denied that account.
It's been a tough week for Joe Biden. The US President has been hammered by difficult public narrative following a disastrous debate against Donald Trump, with clamours for his ouster only growing louder. His words to restore faith in voters and donors has done little to calm nerves. His next big challenge is now to put up a brave front and convince his voters and donors in a crucial TV interview. US President Joe Biden arrives to view the Independence Day fireworks display over the National Mall from the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, July 4, 2024. (Bloomberg)
Biden's first interview after debate: When and How to Watch
The next biggest challenge for Joe Biden is the upcoming interview on Friday with ABC News. The interview, conducted by anchor George Stephanopoulos, will now be airing at 8 p.m. ET. The network has issued a release that an unedited transcript of the interview will be made available on the same day.
According to a press release, a first look will be aired on the Friday, July 5, edition of "World News Tonight with David Muir" and the interview will air in its entirety as a primetime special Friday, July 5 at 8/7c on ABC News.
The interview and additional analysis will air again Sunday, July 7 on "This Week."
Underscoring the rising interest in Biden's well-being the network re-calibrated its decision to air the interview and will be run it on Friday primetime. ABC's decision to not air a live interview and reschedule the air time by broadcasting it earlier has sparked questions. Critics have called it a part of Democrat's strategy to ascertain Biden's viability to run.
Though surprisingly ABC has not divulged information on the length of the interview. In last election campaign the network was heavily criticised for heavily editing FBI Director James Comey's interview with Stephanopoulos, first interview since he was abruptly fired by then-President Trump the previous year.
Scrutiny over Biden's ability to run as president
A series of excuses offered by the president and the White House — that he was battling a cold, weary from travel, and not getting enough sleep — did little but reinforce fundamental questions about whether Biden, already 81 years old, could be entrusted as the leader of the free world for another four years.
While most party elders and prominent governors have so far resisted publicly calling on the president to drop out, they’ve also bluntly acknowledged their worry and said questions about his ability to handle the job are legitimate.
Top Democratic donors have said they would withhold or redirect their money unless Biden stepped aside, while lawmakers continue to discuss whether to band together and call for a change atop the ticket.
The president has conceded in some conversations with allies that another debacle in the coming days would necessitate a rethinking of the race, according to the New York Times. The White House and the campaign denied that account.
