CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ plans its presidential candidate showcase. However will Trump and Harris present?
NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — “60 Minutes” is scheduling its quadrennial interview particular with the presidential candidates to air in lower than a month, hoping for the perfect even after its session with former President Donald Trump went off the rails in 2020.
With no different debates between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, presently scheduled after Tuesday’s occasion in Philadelphia, a “60 Minutes” sitdown would characterize one of many few instances left for voters to guage the 2 candidates again to again.
The Sunday newsmagazine desires to do it on Monday, Oct. 7, since CBS is airing the American Music Awards the night time earlier than.
Neither candidate has but agreed to look however their campaigns have been speaking to CBS, mentioned Invoice Owens, govt producer of “60 Minutes.” Trump marketing campaign spokesman Steven Cheung mentioned “keep tuned” when requested about his candidate’s plans. The Harris marketing campaign didn’t instantly reply to an inquiry from The Related Press.
“I am assured that that is going to work,” Owens mentioned. “For both marketing campaign, it would not be a terrific look in the event that they turned down a possibility to be on ‘60 Minutes.’”
The vice presidential candidates, Tim Walz and JD Vance, are additionally invited to take part, he mentioned.
4 years in the past, then-President Trump walked out early following a contentious interview with the present’s Lesley Stahl, and his marketing campaign later despatched out an unedited tape of the session that it had taken. Whereas campaigns are allowed to tape the interviews, “I might hope that they do not do this once more,” Owens mentioned. “I hope that we now have a critical dialog.”
Correspondent Scott Pelley, not Stahl, has been assigned to interview Trump this yr; Owens mentioned that was not in response to what occurred 4 years in the past.
Throughout that interview, Stahl interrupted Trump to say “you already know that is not true” when he claimed to have presided over the “biggest financial system within the historical past of the nation.”
Trump later criticized Stahl’s “fixed interruptions and anger.” When an offscreen voice gave the 2 of them a five-minute warning for the anticipated finish of the interview, Trump mentioned “I believe we have had sufficient” and walked away.
Later, Stahl mentioned that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had insulted “60 Minutes” by basically giving marketing campaign speeches and never answering questions.
“60 Minutes” has assigned Invoice Whitaker to interview Harris. The old-school “60 Minutes” type, the place the interviews are taped prematurely and crafted right into a story by editors, is changing into extra a rarity in campaigns, with candidates extra generally seen in stay interviews or appearances.
“60 Minutes” begins one other season on Sunday, with Pelley analyzing the Jan. 6, 2021 rebellion on the U.S. Capitol. Persevering with an experiment from final yr, the newsmagazine can have six expanded 90-minute editions in coming months.
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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Observe him at http://x.com/dbauder.
