Forget Ron DeSantis.
If California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a shadow Democrat candidate for president, wants to debate someone it should be Joe Biden.
That is because Newsom would have to get by Joe Biden before he could take on DeSantis if the Florida governor should emerge as the 2024 GOP candidate for president.
Former President Donald Trump, despite Biden’s unabated jihad against him, still might have something to say about that.
Or, since they are not letting Biden out of the White House to campaign these days — and with good reason Newsom should at least debate fellow Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and self-help author Marianne Williamson.
They, along with Biden, are at least officially announced Democrat candidates for president.
Newsom is not, although he acts like he is.
Instead of officially challenging Biden, Newsom hovers around waiting for something to happen to him. And, given Biden’s age (80) and his deteriorating mental and physical well-being, something could.
Meanwhile, the slick Newsom praises Biden to the heavens, hopefully positioning himself on Biden’s good side, and on the good side of Biden supporters, in the event Biden should decide to reverse himself and not seek re-election.
“I’m rooting for our president, and I have great confidence in his leadership,” Newsom said to interviewer Sean Hannity during a rare appearance Monday on Fox News. “I know he is capable. I see results.”
So, instead of challenging Biden to a debate, Newsom wants to debate DeSantis. When Hannity offered to sponsor a debate with DeSantis, Newsom said, “Great. I’ve offered it. I’ve been trying to debate him for years.”
You might say that Newsome and DeSantis have been debating each other for months, albeit from a long distance. Most recently Newsom threatened to file criminal charges against DeSantis for sending illegal immigrants to California, a sanctuary state.
“If the policy is to have an open border,” DeSantis said, “I think the sanctuary cities should be the ones who bear that burden.”
DeSantis has also taunted Newsom by pointing out how thousands of people are fleeing high crime and high tax California to seek a haven in lower tax, lower crime Florida.
The Newsom/DeSantis debate issue aside, Newsom scored a lot of points during the interview first by showing up and then by taking responsibility for the ever-growing homelessness problem that has wreaked havoc with Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The fact that Newsom would even appear on the conservative news network is an indication that he is positioning himself as a candidate if Biden is not.
“The state has not made progress in two decades as it relates to homelessness,” Newsom said. “Housing costs are too high. Our regulatory thickets are too problematic.”
“The difference between me and other politicians is, I own this. I take responsibility for this.”
As well he should. He is part of the problem. He is a millionaire and a career California politician who helped wreck the state after having served two terms as mayor of San Francisco, two terms and lieutenant governor and is currently in his second term as governor. And now he wants to do to the country what he did to California.
Also, while he does take responsibility for the homelessness disaster, he did not say what he is doing to solve it.
Most Democrats planning to vote in the 2024 Democrat primaries, according to the polls, want to see Biden debate his primary opponents even though the Democrat National Committee, which is controlled by Biden, ruled that there would be no debates. But if Biden wanted a debate there would be a debate. So much for democracy.
The lack of a Democrat primary debate, where the voting public can watch Kennedy and Williamson mix it up with Joe Biden would be worth watching.
Given the lack of such a debate will only play into the hands of the Republicans who will hold their first candidate debate in Milwaukee in August.
Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.
