“60 Minutes” is planning to schedule a quadrennial interview special with the presidential candidates in less than a month, aiming to provide voters with an opportunity to evaluate the candidates. The special is set to air on Monday, Oct. 7, after CBS airs the American Music Awards the night before. While neither candidate has confirmed their appearance yet, both campaigns have been in talks with CBS about the special. The vice presidential candidates, Tim Walz and JD Vance, have also been invited to participate in the interviews.
In the previous election cycle, then-President Trump walked out of a contentious interview with Lesley Stahl on “60 Minutes” and later sent out an unedited tape of the session. Despite campaigns being allowed to tape the interviews, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” Bill Owens, hopes that the upcoming interviews will be conducted seriously with no interruptions. Correspondent Scott Pelley has been assigned to interview Trump this year, in response to what happened four years ago when Stahl interrupted Trump during the interview.
“60 Minutes” has assigned Bill Whitaker to interview Vice President Kamala Harris. The traditional style of pre-taped interviews and edited stories on “60 Minutes” is becoming increasingly rare in modern political campaigns, where candidates are more commonly seen in live interviews or appearances. The upcoming season of “60 Minutes” will begin with a segment on the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The newsmagazine will also feature six expanded 90-minute editions in the coming months, continuing an experiment from last year.
Owens expressed confidence in the upcoming interviews, believing that both candidates would not want to miss an opportunity to be featured on “60 Minutes.” Despite the challenges faced in the previous election cycle, Owens hopes for a serious conversation between the candidates and the interviewers. While Trump criticized Stahl for constant interruptions and later walked out of the interview, the show is hoping to avoid similar incidents this time. The opportunity for voters to see the two candidates back to back on “60 Minutes” could provide valuable insights for the upcoming election.
The presidential candidates, Trump and Harris, have not confirmed their appearance on “60 Minutes” yet, but discussions with their campaigns are ongoing. The interviews are scheduled to take place after the American Music Awards on Monday, Oct. 7. In the previous election cycle, Trump’s interview with Lesley Stahl on “60 Minutes” ended in controversy, with Trump walking out and later criticizing the show. The upcoming interviews aim to provide a platform for serious discussions between the candidates and the interviewers.
The vice presidential candidates, Walz and Vance, have also been invited to participate in the interviews. With live interviews and appearances becoming more common in political campaigns, the traditional pre-taped and edited style of “60 Minutes” stands out as a rarity. The new season of “60 Minutes” will feature a segment on the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as six expanded 90-minute editions in the coming months. Overall, the upcoming interviews on “60 Minutes” present a valuable opportunity for voters to evaluate the presidential candidates before the election.
