California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom last week dismissed voter concerns over President Biden’s age and insisted that Donald Trump’s multiple indictments would hurt his chances of defeating the president in November, ABC News reported.
In an interview from South Carolina that aired on ABC’s “This Week” last Sunday, Newsom defended Biden’s fitness, pointing to the extensive traveling the president has been doing in recent weeks.
When asked by “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl if he was concerned about third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. drawing votes away from President Biden, Newsom conceded that Democrats should be concerned but insisted that the Democrat Party could counter the impact from a third-party candidate by “getting out the vote” in November.
Newsom also admitted that while Trump might be a weaker candidate in 2024, Democrats should still be concerned about facing him again in November.
Accusing Trump of trying to “wreck the country” by “lighting democracy on fire,” Newsom blasted the former president for still refusing to concede that the lost the last presidential election.
Newsom said he was campaigning for Biden in South Carolina because it was vital to highlight the successes Biden has had in office while also highlighting the contrast between a Biden presidency and Trump’s four years in office.
Jonathan Karl asked the California governor why Biden’s approval rating remained so low if his successes were so strong.
Newsom dodged the question somewhat, saying that the poor economy was a global issue and not due to President Biden’s policies. He argued that amid the poor global economy, the US “stands tall” thanks to the economic successes of President Biden.
Newsom conceded that the polling is close and admitted that he took “the threat of Trump and Trumpism” seriously.
At the same time, Newsom pointed to polls that showed Americans are less likely to vote for Trump if he is convicted of any of the 91 charges against him.
