Gavin Newsom heading to Atlanta to boost Joe Biden in presidential debate with Donald Trump
Gov. Gavin Newsom is heading to Atlanta to support President Joe Biden at Thursday night’s debate with former President Donald Trump, yet another national appearance aimed at bolstering the California governor’s stature as a national Democratic heavyweight.
The plans were first reported by KCRA on Tuesday. Newsom’s trip was also confirmed in a fundraising email sent Wednesday morning.
A campaign spokesman for Newsom did not return a request for comment. A Biden campaign spokesman declined to confirm the apperance to The Bee.
Newsom will be one of several Biden campaign surrogates available to speak to reporters after the debate in what’s known as a “spin room.”
Traditionally, they flood an area adjacent to the event and tout the performance of their sponsor to reporters. Television interviews also are usually lined up for one-on-one interviews that are usually carried on cable networks and streaming sites.
It’s Newsom’s second push for national attention this week. Tuesday, he blasted Republicans in a pre-recorded State of the State address that targeted a nationwide audience as much as a California one.
While he didn’t mention Trump by name, Newsom chastised “conservatives and delusional California bashers” in the half-hour speech posted on his social media channels.
Trump has often criticized California and the Democratic governor, even saying to an annual gathering of conservatives this year that he’d like to run against Newsom “Because he’s destroyed California.”
Newsom has repeatedly said he is not running for president this year, throwing his support behind Biden. But the California governor has positioned himself as a national liberal figure willing to attack the GOP, taking the sort of approach that future candidates for a national office have.
The first presidential debate between Biden and Trump takes place at 6 p.m. Pacific Time Thursday at CNN’s Atlanta studios.
The Bee Capitol Bureau’s Lindsey Holden and Nicole Nixon contributed to this story.
