Shadow Campaign? Biden Advisors Fume Over Gavin Newsom's 'Disrespectful' Plan to Debate Ron DeSantis
President Biden's advisors are worried about a potential Newsom-DeSantis debate.
President Joe Biden’s advisors are furious about Gavin Newsom’s plan to debate Ron DeSantis in the middle of the 2024 presidential campaign cycle, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In a surprising development to come after the California governor challenged DeSantis to a one-on-one debate earlier this summer, White House sources revealed that Biden’s advisors are “angered” about the potential Newsom-DeSantis “spectacle.”
Newsom challenged DeSantis to a one-on-one debate earlier this summer.
Also surprising are reports that some Biden staffers fear Newsom is running a “shadow 2024 campaign” against President Biden and that the Newsom-DeSantis debate is part of that shadow campaign.
“It's disrespectful,” one White House aide said on Monday, according to Daily Mail. “Joe Biden is running with Kamala Harris. That's the Democratic ticket.”
“It could either look one of two ways,” added another White House insider who referenced Harris’ recent feud with DeSantis. “It could look like [Newsom] tried to defend [Harris] because she couldn’t defend herself, or that he was being thirsty for attention or to get in the fight.”
“And it was at a time when the VP had completely dismissed and won the fight with DeSantis,” the Biden advisor continued, “and I think Gavin gave him a second life.”
The White House fears the debate could take attention away from the Biden-Harris 2024 reelection campaign.
Meanwhile, other Biden advisors praised Newsom’s decision to challenge DeSantis to a one-on-one debate.
“What he's doing here is appropriate for a surrogate,” said one advisor. “It would not be appropriate for the president or the vice president.”
“We're in close touch with [Newsom],” the insider repeated. “This is the kind of thing we want surrogates to do.”
Biden’s campaign spokesperson, Kevin Munoz, echoed a similar perspective and explained that a Newsom-DeSantis debate could help the president’s 2024 reelection hopes.
other Biden advisors fear that Newsom might be running a "shadow 2024 campaign" behind the president's back.
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“Governor Newsom is a strong partner and surrogate for the Biden-Harris campaign,” Munoz said. “We coordinate closely on campaigning, whether it’s fundraising or media.”
“When he brought the debate idea to us, we endorsed it.”
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The talk of a possible Newsom-DeSantis debate first started in June when the California governor floated the idea during an interview with Sean Hannity.
Newsom suggested a three-hour standoff debate with DeSantis. The Florida governor accepted the apparent challenge on social media shortly after.
It is currently unclear when and where the possible Newsom-DeSantis debate will be held.
“Absolutely I'm game, let's get it done just tell me when and where,” DeSantis wrote. “We will do it.”
It is currently unclear when and where the debate will take place, although both parties reportedly agreed that Hannity would moderate the event.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Newsom announced in September 2022 that he would run for president if President Biden decided not to seek reelection.
“After this midterm election is over, he absolutely is going to announce that he is running for the presidency once Biden announces that he is not running,” a Newsom insider said at the time. “No ifs, ands or buts. He will run if Biden does not.”
President Biden ultimately announced his 2024 reelection campaign in April 2023, and the California governor endorsed Biden immediately after.
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