Rumors continue to swirl around who will ultimately end up on the 2024 Democratic ticket. Michelle Obama and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are two of the names that have been bandied about to replace President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a recent interview with MSNBC, however, Newsom tried to throw cold water on the idea that he is mounting a run for the Oval Office by making it really, really clear that he really, really supports Biden. But did he undermine his own efforts?
On Thursday’s show, Megyn was joined by Adam Carolla, host of The Adam Carolla Show, to discuss why it is hard to take Newsom’s enthusiasm seriously and how he and Biden are actually a lot alike.
Newsom’s ‘Exaggerated’ Praise
Last weekend, Newsom sat for an interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner. He called former President Donald Trump “damaged goods” and “more unhinged than ever,” in addition to praising the current commander in chief.
When Wagner noted that the governor is not running for president, he insisted that Biden has his full support.
WAGNER: You are an excellent emissary in terms of passion, engagement, articulation, all of the things that, you know, make for a good campaigner – though we know you’re not running for president in yourself.
NEWSOM: No chance.
WAGNER: No chance.
NEWSOM: Who in their mind would want to run when you have someone of such esteem as our incumbent president of the United States with a record of accomplishments and a man of character, a man of decency? I’m old school. Talk about loyalty. I’d go to the ends of the earth for this guy. I really would. I’m not making that up.
Megyn quipped that she was glad to hear the emphasis from Newsom that he was “not making that up” because she wasn’t sure whether she’d believe him otherwise. Carolla was still not convinced. “It is kind of funny because when you exaggerate, that’s when it becomes clear that you’re a liar,” he noted.
Two Peas in a Pod
As Carolla explained, Biden is “an unmitigated train wreck,” so it seems “surreal” when people try to prop him up. “If somebody said, ‘What do you think of Joe Biden?’ and I was like, ‘He’s doing his job, I guess. I mean, really, how good is any president? At least he’s not Trump’ or something like that, then you believe it,” he said.
Instead, Newsom went the other route, Carolla said, and attempted to paint the forty-sixth president as “the sharpest tack” who is “leading us in the direction of light and truth.”
When it comes to Biden’s ‘sterling’ reputation, Carolla noted that history is not on Newsom’s side. “The craziest thing about Biden’s character is back when he knew he was alive – about 30 years ago – he was giving his bona fides about his education and was like, ‘I was at the top half of my law school class. I was a Fulbright scholarship awardee. I was the only person in my school that had a triple major,'” he explained. “He lied about all of it.”
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “That’s a weird characteristic lie,” Carolla added. “I mean, it’s an insane thing to make up all your degrees and all your majors or, you know, how you marched with Martin Luther King or you are in a South African prison because you went to meet with Nelson Mandela.”
No fan of the California Democrat, Carolla believes Biden and Newsom are two peas in a pod. “I mean, what a sociopathic liar Biden is,” he concluded. “But you’ve got Newsom who’s also a sociopath, so they’re kind of perfect for each other.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Carolla by tuning in to episode 715 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.