George Stephanopoulos steadily presses Biden with tough questions but got no fireworks

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos had a tall task on Friday: Press President Joe Biden on his age, acuity, and the future of his re-election campaign. It was one of the most anticipated interviews of his career.

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos had a tall task on Friday: Press President Joe Biden on his age, his acuity and the future of his reelection campaign. It was one of the most anticipated interviews of his career. Stephanopoulos mostly lived up to the challenge, asking rapid-fire, biting questions that did not let Biden off the hook. Although there was no single standout moment, Stephanopoulos challenged Biden’s denialism about the political damage the president did to himself during his disastrous debate performance last week. Behind his questions, viewers got a sense of Stephanopoulos’ frustration, which is shared by the entire White House press corps. Many of the journalists who cover Biden every day are seething; angry at what some say is a White House that has deceived them, and has kept the president from interacting in an open format with the press. In the interview, Biden’s first since the CNN debate last month, Stephanopoulos kept the questions going at a fast clip. He was measured but persistent, clearly aware of the deeply personal and sensitive issues at hand. But he also sometimes seemed almost in disbelief at Biden’s answers. “Do you really believe that you’re not behind right now?” he asked Biden, questioning him again and again over polling. “Just when you look at the reality though, Mr. President,” he implored again. Stephanopoulos pressed Biden the most on whether he has had, and whether he would agree to a neurological and cognitive evaluation, asking him about it five times in a row.