ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos said Thursday afternoon that he will not moderate a Republican presidential primary debate sponsored by the network after failing to disclose his donations to the Clinton Foundation.
Stephanopoulos told Politico in an interview that he’d given $75,000 to the nonprofit from 2012-2014. Earlier reports said the foundation’s records showed the longtime aide to former President Bill Clinton had donated $50,000 between 2013 and 2014.
The ABC News anchor also went beyond a statement he gave earlier in the day that acknowledged he should’ve publicly disclosed the donations sooner. In the interview, he told Politico that he shouldn’t have given the money at all despite doing it “for the best reasons.”
Republican presidential candidate and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told the New York Times that he believed Stephanopoulos’ charitable giving to the Clinton Foundation, as well as his ties to the former first family, should preclude him from moderating any GOP primary debates. The ABC News anchor later said that he would withdrew himself from a debate that ABC News is expected to sponsor February in New Hampshire.
“I won’t moderate that debate,” Stephanopoulos told Politico. “I think I’ve shown that I can moderate debates fairly. That said, I know there have been questions made about moderating debates this year. I want to be sure I don’t deprive moderators or viewers of a good debate.”
The anchor added that he plans to address the donations Sunday on “This Week.”
Considering that News Corp donated to the Bush Foundation, does this mean that Rand will likewise demand that no Fox pundits be involved as well?
Or is it a case of IOKIYAR?
This is actually a savvy move by George S. Thanks to his donation, he no longer has to sit through the parade of hateful dumbfuckery that will characterize the Republican debate. I’m sure his shrink is breathing a huge sigh of relief.
If I was George I would be hopping up for joy to not have to moderate a GOP debate. I am sure Bill Crystal or George Will would be happy to take his place.
I’m not a fan, but this already makes him a better person than George Will (not that that’s saying much).
At first I read it as Billy Crystal and thought “now THAT will be a fun debate” … but no, I’m so deflated …