NEW YORK (AP) – Barbara Walters will interview Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for a prime-time ABC News special the day before Clinton’s “Living History” book hits stores.

Walters’ interview will air at 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 8.

“I am proud to be given the opportunity to go behind the headlines and behind the scenes of this extraordinary woman’s public and private life,” Walters said on Thursday.

The Clinton interview was the subject of intense competition among television personalities. Walters reportedly beat out her ABC colleague Diane Sawyer, CBS’ “60 Minutes” and NBC’s Katie Couric.

The New York senator was interviewed by Walters prior to the publication of “It Takes a Village” in 1996 and was pleased by the experience, spokeswoman Karen Dunn said.

There had been speculation that Walters would have less of a chance to win this interview because Walters also interviewed Monica Lewinsky, but it proved not to be a factor.

There will be no ground rules on what can be asked during the interview, both Dunn and ABC News said.

By scheduling the interview for 7 p.m. on a Sunday, ABC will go up against “60 Minutes,” where Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, does commentaries. However, in rerun season, it’s unlikely the former president will be on.

AP-ES-05-15-03 1605EDT