Newsom tries to nix 2024 talk. But he has plenty of advice for Democrats

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s not challenging President Joe Biden in 2024, telling reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday that he’s “deeply supportive” and “proud” of the president, NBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald reported. 

But Newsom also has advice for national Democrats. 

Plenty of it, in fact. 

Speaking with NBC News as he visited Capitol Hill on Thursday, Newsom discussed the state of the Democratic Party.

 “Look, I have not been shy about my concern about the Democratic Party, the institution. And that has nothing to do with the individuals, nothing to do with the leadership that has everything to do with an institutional construct where I don’t think that we are meeting the moment as a party ... and create a narrative that counters the narrative coming from Republican Party,” he said. 

 “I think they are dominating the narrative,” Newsom said of Republicans. “Facts become secondary in that respect, and it’s having a big impact in this country. We’re seeing the ‘rights revolution’ of the last 40-50 years being rolled back in real time, state after state, and I’ve been raising the alarm bells around that, because I think it’s more pronounced."

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Newsom added, “I mean, I just yesterday was talking about the fact that 1,586 books have been banned in the country — 713 just in the state of Texas,” continuing: “I’m just trying to wake folks up to all that, and the knock is not about what’s going on here [in Washington]. It’s what’s not going on here. And I think that’s there’s a differentiation in that and I’m deeply concerned about what’s happened in the Republican Party and their success in impacting so much of the progress that we’ve long fought for, rightfully, and I’m really worried about my kids.” 

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More Newsom: “I’m worried about the country, so it’s not just about situational politics here... It’s not about 2024. And I just realized a few months ago that I have the right to express a point of view. And that point of view, you know, came from a deeper appreciation in the moment after a recall that was nationalized — where the RNC decided to come into California, when Newt Gingrich came in with this guy, Mike Huckabee, others came in and sharpened my focus and attention. And I’m sick of being on the receiving end of that.”

He concluded, “And on our party, you know, we gotta get on the offense again. I know we keep saying that, but we’re not doing it to the extent that I’d like to see. And the president ... got to have his back and you can’t do it alone. The White House can’t do it alone.”