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ABC’s Jonathan Karl warned Sunday that the 2024 presidential election will be the “most important election of our time,” telling his audience, “no more crying wolf.”
Karl, who guest-hosted “This Week” on Sunday, opened the program with commentary on the general election between President Biden and former President Trump.
“For as long as I’ve covered politics, politicians have said this will be the most important election of our lifetimes,” Karl said. “They said that no matter how high or low the stakes actually were. Election Day 2024 is exactly six months from today, and this time the divisions in our country are so vast and the choice so stark, there’s little doubt this really is the most important election of our time. No more crying wolf. This is it.”
George Stephanopoulos, the regular host of ABC’s “This Week,” similarly warned at the end of April that the upcoming presidential election was not an ordinary contest and said it would be a big “test” for the media and American citizens.
ABC host Jonathan Karl issues warning about the 2024 election on Sunday, May 5, 2024. (Screenshot/ABC)
“It’s all too easy to fall into reflexive habits, to treat this as a normal campaign, where both sides embrace the rule of law, where both sides are dedicated to a debate based on facts and the peaceful transfer of power. But that is not what’s happening this election year. Those bedrock tenets of democracy are being tested in a way we haven’t seen since the Civil War. It’s a test for the candidates, for those of us in the media, and for all of us as citizens,” Stephanopoulos said during the April 28 episode of “This Week.
Both of the ABC hosts’ monologues come after Biden delivered a message to the press at the White House correspondents’ dinner in April calling on the media to “rise up to the seriousness of the moment” and move past the “gotcha” moments.
He also told the press to focus on the high stakes of this presidential race, Fox News Digital reported.
“Move past the horse race numbers and the ‘gotcha’ moments and the distractions and the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics, and focus on what’s actually at stake,” Biden said. “I think in your hearts, you know what’s at stake. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”
George Stephanopoulos sounds the alarm on 2024 election and appears to echo President Biden’s message to the press. (Screenshot/ABC/ThisWeek)
Biden added that every member of the media had “serious roles to play” in making sure democracy endures.
Karl also discussed a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Sunday, which he said showed the race was effectively tied.
“Trump has a big double-digit advantage on most of the issues that Americans say are most important to them, especially the economy, crime, and the situation at the border. Even on the issue of who will best protect democracy, Biden and Trump are tied,” he said.
Former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings at Manhattan criminal court, Monday, April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)
Karl noted Biden had a big lead on the issue of character and sounded the alarm on Trump’s recent interview with Time Magazine.
“In a lengthy interview with Time magazine, the man who still refuses to accept the results of the last election refused to say whether he would accept the results of this one,” Karl said. “And the man who saw his supporters attack the Capitol three years ago said there would not be violence this time if he wins, adding, quote ‘and if we don’t win, you know, it depends.’ It always depends on the fairness of an election. To be clear, Trump says no violence if he wins. All bets are off if he loses.”
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.
