During MSNBC’s debate coverage on Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) responded to President Joe Biden’s performance by stating that “We’ve all had those nights. All of us, not one person watching, hasn’t had those nights.” And “You don’t turn your back because of one performance.” Newsom also stated that the talk about the panic among Democrats over Biden’s performance is “unhelpful to our democracy, the fate and future of this country, and the world.”
After Newsom defended Biden on substance, host Alex Wagner asked, “I feel like, on the signature issue that Democrats have, which is abortion, the President’s response was garbled and undirected, at best. Do you feel like he did what he needed to do on an issue that could motivate voters at the polls?”
Newsom responded, “I think it’s significantly insignificant, because it’s de minimis, because the American people have made up their mind. They don’t support the policies of Donald Trump. They certainly don’t support his policies or his assertion somehow that the American people always wanted this to be states’ rights, which is laughable and absurd. So, from that perspective, I don’t think that will matter.”
He added that Democrats should “worry less and do more. We have the opportunity to turn the page, we have the opportunity to put our heads down, we have the opportunity to universally have the back of this President, who’s had our back. You don’t turn your back. You go home with the one that brought you to the dance, 100%, all in. And I was very, very proud that he was able to articulate the work that he has done and lay a foundation of understanding of the lies and the deceit that continue to come out of Donald Trump’s mouth.”
Wagner then asked, “You were out there getting a chorus of questions about whether Biden should step down. There is panic that has set in among people who have watched this debate, who are Democrats, people who are strategists, and some, even inside Democratic campaigns. Do you think it’s unfounded?”
After Wagner said there is panic, Newsom said, “There shouldn’t be.”
At the end of Wagner’s question, he stated, “I think it’s unhelpful. And I think it’s unnecessary. We’ve got to go in, we’ve got to keep our heads high, and as I say, we’ve got to have the back of this President. You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that? It’s been a masterclass, 15.6 million jobs, that’s eight times more than the last three Republican presidents combined. The only thing the last three Republican presidents have in common is recessions. Democrats delivered. This President has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment. With all due respect, the more time — we start having these conversations, go down these rabbit hole[s], [it’s] unhelpful to our democracy, the fate and future of this country, and the world.”
Newsom added that Biden gained “stamina” as the night went on.
Later, when asked if Biden should do the next debate, Newsom answered, “Absolutely. We’ve all had those nights. All of us, not one person watching, hasn’t had those nights. … You have good moments, you have bad moments.”
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