California Governor Gavin Newsom admits there is “panic” in the Democratic Party over Joe Biden’s disastrous showing against Donald Trump in Thursday’s presidential debate. He implied the octogenarian president performed poorly himself, but added, “You don’t turn your back because of one performance.”
“There is panic that has set in among people who have watched this debate: Democrats, people who are strategists, and some even inside Democrat campaigns,” MSNBC host Alex Wagner told the governor, who nodded and answered “yeah” throughout.
“Do you think it’s unfounded?” Wagner asked.
Newsom equivocated, saying, “Well, I think it’s unhelpful.”
“We’ve gotta go in, we’ve gotta keep our head high, and, as I say, we gotta have the back of this president,” he continued. “You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?” he asked—implying Biden’s performance was indeed bad.
Many regard Newsom as a possible successor to or replacement for Biden. He ran a shadow campaign for the Democratic nomination, culminating in a debate with would-be Republican nominee Ron DeSantis in December. However, he ultimately decided to back Biden and bide his time.
While he is significantly younger than Biden, at 56, polls and statistical analyses have projected he would lose to Trump even more heavily than the 81-year-old.
Alex Wagner presses Gov. Gavin Newsom on questions about whether Biden should step down.
Newsom: “You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?”
“This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.” pic.twitter.com/J5G9XGNYWn
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 28, 2024