Stephanopoulos Warns of Democracy Test as Biden Condemns Trump Threats

George Stephanopoulos, anchor of ABC’s This Week, raised concerns about democracy being tested during Sunday’s program. He highlighted that no previous American president had faced criminal trials or indictments for such offenses as concealing classified documents, overturning elections through federal and state charges, or business fraud and sexual abuse accusations with fines in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Stephanopoulos argued this election was not normal due to these unprecedented circumstances that challenge fundamental democratic principles like adherence to law, fact-based debates, and peaceful transfers of power since the Civil War era. He urged all candidates, media personnel, and citizens alike to meet up with the situation’s magnitude because such tenets have been tested in a way not seen for over 150 years. President Biden had also addressed this issue during his speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday when he emphasized that Trump has threatened democracy by advocating revenge, retribution and promising bloodbaths if defeated again. The president urged journalists to focus more on what’s actually happening instead of horse race numbers or sideshows since “the stakes couldn’t be higher.”