President Joe Biden will participate in a one-on-one interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt next week, marking the president’s second cable TV appearance since his shaky debate performance plunged his candidacy into crisis.
The interview will be taped on Monday from Austin, Texas, and air in its entirety at 9 p.m. the same day, NBC News announced Wednesday — providing prime time counterprogramming to the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The president will be in Austin to visit the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library for the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
Select portions of the interview will air during NBC Nightly News at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, the network said, but the 9 p.m. airing will be unedited.
Biden’s sit-down with Holt comes after his high-stakes interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday failed to fully quell concerns about his candidacy within the Democratic party. Biden told Stephanopoulos that only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to withdraw from the presidential race, and sparked Democratic anxiety over his response “as long as I gave it my all” when asked how he’d feel about losing to former President Donald Trump.
Other recent media appearances by the president have also prompted scrutiny of his campaign. Over the weekend, a radio station in Philadelphia parted ways with one of its hosts after she revealed that the Biden campaign provided her a list of suggested questions to ask the president. A person familiar with the campaign booking operation later said that it would discontinue this practice, POLITICO previously reported.
The interview with Holt provides Biden another opportunity to prove that he is capable of winning reelection — and another potential goal post for the many Democrats who are still in “wait and see” mode as calls grow for the president to step aside. After Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June, many of those Democrats urged Biden to get out in front of voters in unscripted formats, including through interviews with journalists.
Biden’s one-on-one with Holt will be the second of his presidency, after he sat down with the longtime NBC Nightly News anchor in February 2022 for a conversation centered on the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation and tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
