NBC News host Kristen Welker pressed Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., on Sunday on whether it was responsible for the Democratic Party to run for President Biden despite voters’ concerns about his age.
After Newsom criticized former President Trump and added Democrats were not underestimating the GOP front-runner’s strength, Welker mentioned how, “76% of voters say they have real concerns about President Biden’s ability to serve a second term.”
“Do you think it’s responsible for Democrats to put him at the top of the ticket given those concerns?” she asked.
Newsom confidently said during his media appearance that he reveres Biden’s record and called it a “masterclass.”
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“I mean, what he’s done in three years, it’s been a masterclass. Close to 15 million jobs, that’s eight times more than the last three Republican presidents combined. The economy is booming, inflation is cooling. It’s .6% more than it was in the summer of 2020 at just 3.1%,” he said.
He told Welker to “wait a second,” before further praising the president. “We have American manufacturing coming home, all because of Biden’s wisdom, his temperance, his capacity to to lead in a bipartisan manner, which is an underrepresented point,” he continued.
Welker pushed back and noted that the voters weren’t complaining about his record.
“They’re talking about concerns about his ability to beat Trump, who you’ve called lightning, a threat, essentially to democracy. We’ve heard a lot of his allies say publicly, in private, ‘He is strong, he’s in command, he’s forceful.’ Does he need to do more to show that?” Welker said.
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Newsom argued Biden was doing everything he needs to do and said the president has been successful because of his age.
“So, no, from my humble perspective, not only have the last three years been extraordinary, I’ve been out, as you know, on the campaign trail. I was just out in California. I’ve seen him up close, I’ve seen him from far. But here’s my point: it’s because of his age that he’s been so successful. It’s because of the wisdom and the character that’s developed over the years,” he said, listing the names of legislation passed under the Biden administration. “So the opportunity to express that for four more years, what a gift it is for the American people.”
Welker went on to ask if Newsom ruled out a run in 2024, and he said, “you’ve got to be kidding.”
“I am here celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Biden-Harris Administration, making the case that we need to make to lift up the issues, lift up the record, drive contrast with the Republican nominee to beat Donald Trump, so we have four more years,” he said. “It’s not even a conversation, and it’s a damning conversation, frankly, the other side wants us to have.”
A large majority of Americans believe both Biden and Trump are too old to serve another term in the White House.
Eighty-six percent of Americans think Biden, 81, is too old to serve another term as president, while 62% think the same of Trump, 77, according to the results of an ABC News/Ipsos poll released in February.
