The Biden campaign is facing accusations of pressuring the New York Times to change the wording in an article transcribing a recent gaffe made by the president, amid growing concerns over his candidacy.
President Joe Biden's recent gaffes and the Biden campaign's alleged efforts to suppress coverage of them have raised eyebrows, leading to questions about his ability to serve out his current term. In a recent incident, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd accused the Biden campaign of pressuring her to change the wording in an article that quoted the president.
According to Dowd, the campaign contacted her after she quoted Biden saying he would feel content staying in the race, even if former President Donald Trump won, "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."
Biden Campaign Pressures Press Amid 'Succession Plan' Rumors
The original ABC News transcript of Biden's interview also transcribed him as saying "goodest." However, ABC News later updated the transcript to read, "I did the good as job as I know I can do," and added an editor's note that read, "This transcript has been updated for clarity."
Dowd claimed that the Biden campaign's spokesman, T.J. Ducklo, contacted her and asked her to change the word "goodest" in her column to make her reporting consistent with the corrected transcript.
Biden Campaign Pressures Press Amid 'Succession Plan' Rumors
Dowd noted that she and her researcher had listened to footage of Biden making the comment multiple times and were certain he had said "goodest." However, Ducklo reportedly insisted that ABC News had made the correction and that it would be unusual for the Times to report something different.
When Dowd asked if the Biden team had urged ABC to change the transcript, Ducklo remained defiant, stating that ABC News makes its own independent editorial decisions. However, he later admitted that the White House had contacted ABC to inquire about the discrepancy between their recording and the network's original transcript.
Biden Campaign Pressures Press Amid 'Succession Plan' Rumors
Dowd expressed confusion over Ducklo's emails, questioning why the White House had gotten involved and why the spokesman was being evasive. She compared the Biden administration's actions to their previous coverup of Biden's cognitive decline, raising concerns about the team's attempts to control the narrative.
Amidst the allegations, Biden's politically damaging debate performance and the Biden campaign's recent actions have fueled speculation about a potential "succession plan" underway. Dowd warned that the strained dynamic between the White House and the press could escalate further, leading to a confrontational relationship that could hinder journalists' ability to report accurately on the president's actions.
Biden Campaign Pressures Press Amid 'Succession Plan' Rumors
