A senior executive at ABC News was “furious” when he found out that George Stephanopoulos, a former agent for the Democratic Party, was not supportive of Biden and his flagging candidacy.
After video footage of Stephanopoulos allegedly saying he didn’t think Biden could serve four more years to a passerby in Manhattan, the head of the network’s news division, Debra O’Connell, reportedly told the 63-year-old that he is a newsman who is expected to be objective.
That’s an odd comment when it is well-known that Stephanopoulos is a Democrat and doesn’t hide it when interviewing the right. O’Connell must mean that the anchor is not expected to be biased against a fellow Democrat.
This incident occurred after video footage of the former adviser to President Bill Clinton surfaced online.
According to reports, an internal meeting at ABC was called social media, and it was blown up with Stephanopoulos’s candid video. During the meeting, O’Connell allegedly asked Stephanopoulos to apologize for his comment, and he dutifully did so.
The 63-year-old newsman seems to be on good terms with ABC News for the time being, despite the fact that his comments on President Biden’s potential inability to seek reelection may have irritated some viewers.
According to a report on Wednesday, management was reportedly “furious” with the “This Week” host’s unplanned remark and contemplated benching him until he announced an apology.
O’Connell reportedly convened a frantic gathering of executives, advisors, and public relations experts.
Had Stephanopoulos remarked Trump, no such panicked meeting would have been called.
It is then said that she summoned Stephanopoulos to a secret conference and delivered an ultimatum: apologize or face termination from the show.
Reports indicate that ABC executives were worried the experienced broadcaster’s personal views would cast a shadow on his impartiality, a patently ridiculous worry. Stephanopoulos does not enjoy any such reputation.
A number of prominent Democratic donors, including George Clooney, have openly demanded that Biden step down and let another Democrat run against Trump.
Even while he has many Democrats objecting to his candidacy (and for good reason), the president maintains he is not withdrawing from the campaign.
