ABC News Adjusts Transcript of President Biden Interview After White House Raises Accuracy Concerns
ABC News Adjusts Transcript of President Biden Interview After White House Raises Accuracy Concerns
ABC News found itself in the spotlight after adjusting the transcript of a crucial moment during President Biden’s Friday interview with George Stephanopoulos. The network made the change after White House officials raised concerns about the accuracy of the president’s words, according to sources familiar with the discussion.
The moment in question came towards the end of the interview when Stephanopoulos asked Biden how he would feel if he stayed in the presidential race and was defeated by former President Donald J. Trump. Initially, the official transcript distributed by ABC quoted Biden as saying, “I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the goodest job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about.”
However, by Saturday afternoon, the online transcript had been updated to reflect a slight change in wording: “I’ll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job as I know I can do, that’s what this is about.” ABC added an editors’ note explaining that the transcript had been updated for clarity.
The decision to adjust the transcript came after the White House and several news organizations questioned whether Biden had said “goodest” or “good as.” ABC’s standards team reviewed the audio and made the necessary changes to the transcript, but did not modify the audio or video of the interview itself.
The incident highlights the scrutiny that every word spoken by President Biden faces, especially in unscripted settings like the ABC interview. With ongoing discussions about his physical and mental health, the accuracy of his statements is under intense scrutiny.
Following the adjustment to the ABC transcript, the president’s re-election campaign requested that other news outlets, including The New York Times, update their coverage to reflect the revised quote. The Times complied and revised its articles accordingly.
The 22-minute interview, which drew 8.5 million viewers according to early Nielsen data, was a significant moment for ABC News. It was the network’s most-watched prime-time news program, excluding election nights and debates, since a 2018 interview with former F.B.I. director James Comey.
