Joe Biden Has a Message for Gavin Newsom

President Joe Biden is offering Governor Gavin Newsom his blessing for any White House ambitions the California Democrat might have.

"I want to talk about Governor Newsom," Biden told the audience at a kickoff party for this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Wednesday night. "Want to thank him. He's been one hell of a governor, man. Matter of fact, he could be anything he wants. He could have the job I'm looking for."

Newsom's presence has loomed large over the 2024 presidential race. Although the governor has insisted he won't challenge Biden's reelection effort, he has ramped up his national image in recent months. Polls show the rising Democratic star as a potentially strong alternative to Biden, should the president, who will turn 81 next week, drop out of the White House race.

It's unclear whether Biden was referring to a specific presidential race or if he was suggesting that he could imagine the governor in the White House in 2029, after a second Biden term ended.

Newsweek reached out to Newsom and the White House via email for comment.

Newsom, who turned 56 last month, has been viewed by some as a potential Democratic challenger to Biden because of his popularity and age.

In 2021, the governor fended off a recall effort spurred by his response to the coronavirus pandemic. He has since built a national profile that has involved a major meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week and an upcoming debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is running for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rumors that Newsom could take Biden's place as the 2024 Democratic nominee have arisen as the president faces low approval numbers and a challenging general election next year. Polls continue to show Biden running neck and neck with Donald Trump, the GOP's clear front-runner.

A Pew Research Center survey over the summer showed that about half of Americans think the ideal age for a president is in the 50s. Only 3 percent said they preferred a president in their 70s or older. Trump will turn 78 next year.

Several Republicans took to social media to respond to Biden's Wednesday comments about Newsom, suggesting that the president was saying "the quiet part out loud."

"All part of the plan. Joey's always known he was to step down for someone else. Looks like it will be Newsom," one Trump supporter wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"You don't think Joe Biden's handlers are telling him to hand the torch over to Gavin Newsom?" another asked.

Newsom has repeatedly shut down speculation that he would run against Biden. In September on Meet the Press, the governor sent a message to those suggesting the Democratic nominee would be anyone but Biden: "Time to move on. Let's go."

The governor has been a major campaign surrogate for Biden. Since March, he's raked in an estimated $4 million for the president's reelection effort, according to Newsom campaign spokesperson Nathan Clink.

Biden's appearance this week at the APEC summit marks the first time that the U.S. has hosted the annual event since 2011. Leaders from the 21-member group are gathering to discuss trade and economic growth across the Pacific region.

"Over the next few days, I hope we'll all take full advantage of this summit to make new connections and spark new partnerships because every step we take to deepen our cooperation, to launch a new venture, to tackle the challenges that impact on all of us is a step toward realization of the enormous potential of our Asian-Pacific future," the president said.