California Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday evening that he was all in for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' re-election campaign, while mocking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for calling out former President Donald Trump had followed poorly.
Newsom and DeSantis took part in a red state-blue state governors debate Thursday night on Fox News Channel, which was moderated by Sean Hannity.
The California Democrat hit back when DeSantis, 45, said the 81-year-old Biden was “in decline” and therefore a “danger” to the country.
“I would take Joe Biden at 100 versus Ron DeSantis any day of the week at any age,” Newsom said.
Newsom also asked DeSantis how his primary battle against Trump was going, pointing out that “you're 41 points behind in your home state” while heavily criticizing the Florida governor when he messed up the pronunciation of Harris' first name.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he was all in for President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, even going so far as to tell Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “I would take Joe Biden out of 100 against Ron DeSantis, every day of the week and at every age'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said during his debate with California Governor Gavin Newsom that President Joe Biden was “in decline” and a “danger” to the country, while accusing Newsom of running a “shadow campaign” for to carry the president.
“Shame on you, it's Ka-mala Harris, Ron, it's Ka-mala Harris. Madam Vice President,” Newsom said.
At the top of the debate, Newsom took an early swipe at DeSantis by announcing that none of the participants on stage that night would be their party's presidential candidate.
“There are major disagreements tonight and I look forward to participating,” DeSantis said. “But finally, there is one thing we have in common: neither of us will be nominated for our party in 2024.”
Newsom, 56, predicted that Biden would become the Democratic nominee “within a few weeks.”
“In a few weeks, Sean, he will be endorsing Donald Trump as the candidate in the Republican Party,” the California Democrat said of DeSantis.
Biden is being challenged by Rep. Dean Phillips and self-help guru Marianne Williamson and leads Williamson, currently in second place, by 61 points, while DeSantis is behind Trump on average nationally. with about 48 points.
Florida Atlantic University has released a poll this month, Trump had a 41-point lead over DeSantis, as Newsom said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom predicted that President Joe Biden (pictured) would be the Democratic nominee “within a few weeks,” while saying former President Donald Trump would be the Republican nominee in the same period.
Former President Donald Trump leads Florida Governor Ron DeSantis nationally by about 48 points. In Florida, Trump leads DeSantis by 41 points, according to a November poll from Florida Atlantic University
However, Newsom was occasionally pressed during the debate on whether he had aspirations for higher office.
'You won't admit it. Admit you're on the run,” DeSantis told Newsom at one point, adding at another point that Newsom knows Biden is in decline, and that's why he's running a shadow campaign. '
Hannity highlighted that story as well, asking Newsom what would happen if Democrats at the convention tried to nominate him.
“I don't know how many times I can say it,” Newsom snorted. “I'm just making up something about a shadow campaign.”
“It's not even optional,” he continued.
“He's doing a great job,” he said of Biden. “I appreciate and respect the work that the President and Vice President, the Biden-Harris campaign and team are doing, and therefore absolutely unequivocally look forward to continuing to support their efforts.” President Biden will be re-elected and President Trump will be rejected.”
Both Hannity and DeSantis emphasized that Biden, who turned 81 earlier this month, was in cognitive decline.
“He says Joe Biden is 100 percent ready for the job. You know that's not true. Anyone who can watch. He wants you to believe him over your own lying eyes,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis also hit Newsom during his recent trip to China.
“I wouldn't go to China and grovel to Xi like Gavin Newsom did,” DeSantis said, looking into the camera. “He says China is a partner on climate change?”
“China is laughing at us,” DeSantis said.
Newsom responded by saying, “I confronted Xi on the fentanyl issue” and raised the country's human rights abuses with the “secretary of state and the vice president and other leaders in China.”
Newsom again brought up DeSantis' shaky position in the polls and drew attention to the GOP hopeful's feud with rival Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador and governor of South Carolina, over who has been friendlier to Chinese companies.
Newsom called out the Florida governor's “hypocrisy.”
“This is just a reminder, I think it's a question that some people are probably asking and I know Nikki Haley's campaign is asking this question. When are you going to stop and at least give Nikki Haley a chance to take down Donald Trump and this nomination?” Newsom asked.
Politifact found no evidence that DeSantis, as governor of Florida, has courted Chinese companies in recent months, as Haley alleged.