The atmosphere at ABC News has grown even more charged following George Stephanopoulos’ statement that “President Joe Biden must go.” The comment reportedly led to quiet celebrations among the supporters of Stephanopoulos’ main rival at ABC, David Muir.

During the interview, Stephanopoulos asked the president, “Are you sure you’re being honest with yourself when you say you have the mental and physical capacity to serve another four years?”

One week after conducting an exclusive interview with Joe Biden in July, Stephanopoulos was caught off-guard by a street encounter that led to an unplanned remark about the president’s health, which was later reported by TMZ. Stephanopoulos was casually walking down a New York sidewalk, listening to music and checking his phone, when a cameraman stopped him to inquire if he thought Biden should resign.

“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” Stephanopoulos was caught saying.

The backstory to the drama includes a longstanding professional rivalry between the two news anchors. This rivalry intensified after Biden’s advisors selected Stephanopoulos for the first post-debate interview with the president—a choice that came after Biden’s widely criticized debate performance.

George Stephanopoulos

David Muir, who anchors ABC World News Tonight and co-anchors the news magazine 20/20, had been eager to secure this pivotal first interview following the debate debacle that caused an uproar among senior Democrats, leading some to call for Biden’s replacement on the 2024 presidential ticket. The decision by Biden and his top advisors to select Stephanopoulos for a critical interview further deepened the rift between him and his ABC colleague, David Muir, shocking Muir’s supporters with the White House’s choice.

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A network insider revealed to RadarOnline, “David has his supporters and team inside ABC, and George has his. The rivalry between David and George is real and makes for tension behind-the-scenes, and there are private celebrations from those in David’s corner that George plunged the network into an embarrassing scandal,” the source told the outlet.

ABC NEWS – “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir

Another source, taking a clear dig at Stephanopoulos, remarked, “David is the height of professionalism, and you won’t hear a subjective word from him or any commentary about Biden and whether he should run. “He is a newsman, and he knows his place. That is, to deliver the news, without fear or favor.”

ABC News president Debra O’Connell presented Stephanopoulos with an ultimatum: apologize or face suspension from the network’s highly-rated morning show. “This was a full-blown crisis that erupted with widespread repercussions,” a source noted.

“She was furious that someone of George’s experience and stature would jeopardize the news division’s neutrality, attracting unwanted and embarrassing headlines,” the source continued. “George put Debra in a tough spot. Without an apology, how could he carry on at ABC News without the network being overwhelmed by criticism Although he later downplayed his comment as a mere jest, Debra and the senior leadership within the news division recognize that the harm has already been inflicted.”

In 2021, the rivalry between Stephanopoulos and Muir reached a peak, with Stephanopoulos reportedly threatening to leave for a competitor network, according to CNN. In response, Disney’s Executive Chairman Bob Iger made a cross-country trip to mediate the conflict at ABC News. Iger’s efforts led to a resolution, culminating in a lucrative contract extension for the 60-year-old Stephanopoulos, which helped calm the waters. “They found a way to have two big stars and build towards the future,” a source told CNN three years ago.

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