NEW YORK — Clinton-aide-turned-political-journalist George Stephanopoulos had some reservations about whether he would be the right person to replace Diane Sawyer on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

But the 48-year-old said adjusting from his Sunday political talk show “This Week” to morning television wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be. It didn’t hurt that he scored the first interview with President Barack Obama after the Democrats lost the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat last month.

Q: I know you were a morning person before this, but how has your routine changed?

A: I get up around 3:45 and I’m in the office by 4:25. I used to think I worked hard. It’s nothing compared to this. The intensity, how packed your days are — it’s like you’re back in the White House, except that you have to be on TV all the time.

Q: What has been the most surprising aspect of “GMA”?

A: How much fun it’s been, and so far, how relatively easy the transition has been. I thought it was going to be much more awkward.

Q: What did you think was going to be awkward about it?

A: The whole dynamic, you know. Four (anchors) instead of one. The range of subjects. The amount of chat. I’m much more used to doing my own analysis or driving the hourlong show myself. All television is a team effort, but this on the air is far more than I had been used to.

Q: In the same week you interviewed Obama you also talked about Heidi Montag’s plastic surgery and did a cooking segment with Emeril. Do you ever feel like, “I’m a Rhodes scholar, what am I doing?”

A: Not exactly. First of all, I got to spend a half-hour with the president, which I wouldn’t be doing if I hadn’t gotten this job. Listen, I had real questions about taking this job. I was wrong. I don’t feel like I have really given up so much and I’ve gained so much more.

Q: During your recent interview with Rudy Giuliani, he made a statement that there were no domestic terrorism attacks under President George W. Bush, and you didn’t challenge him. What were you thinking at the time?

A: I absolutely should have caught him on it. It was one of those things, we’re 30 seconds from wrapping up, I’m getting the call. And it was the kind of thing — again, this is no excuse — that looks different in print than when it was happening.

Courtesy ABC via The Associated Press

George Stephanopoulos, second from left, and Juju Chang, left, joined Robin Roberts and Sam Champion as members of the new anchor team of “Good Morning America” in December.