Gavin Newsom claims Joe Biden is ‘one of the most successful presidents in last century’
Gavin Newsom: Joe Biden “one of the most successful presidents in the last century."
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) October 29, 2025
"I will defend that to my grave."
You do that, Gav. pic.twitter.com/SiUJIeyfgU
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom has claimed that former President Joe Biden will be remembered in history as "one of the most successful presidents in the last century."
Newsom made these remarks in an interview where he also criticized the Democratic Party's inefficiencies in countering President Donald Trump's political agenda.
Gavin Newsom gives an analysis on Joe Biden
In an interview with ABC News' Chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, the governor gave a strong defense of the previous administration's achievements.
He specifically pointed to a number of significant legislative wins, which he feels cement former President Biden's legacy.
Newsom said, “I would argue — of our former president who I think was one of the most successful presidents in the last century, and that is Joe Biden, and I will defend that to my grave.”
He then went on to highlight those achievements, observing, “In terms of the CHIPS and Science Act, the infrastructure bill, the work he did on the IRA, the fact that he had a worker-centered industrial policy, and the fact that those are the right policies for this country.”
When Karl asked whether these would stand up against a possible transfer of power, Newsom admitted that some could be reversed but insisted, "A lot of them, but not — well, many aspects are being celebrated by the Trump administration as his."
Gavin Newsom describes Democratic Party's core error
Before he praised Biden, Newsom described what he sees as a core strategic error by the Democratic Party in responding to President Donald Trump.
Newsom defined Trump's behavior as a broad attack on American institutions, asserting that this demands a more forceful response than the Democrats have presented.
Newsom cautioned, "It’s a revolution that’s going on in this country, and I think you have to start using those words. He’s attacking every single institution of independent thinking, and he’s succeeding because we’re still playing by the old set of rules.”
Gavin Newsom demands for dramatic shift for Strategic Democratic Realignment
Governor Newsom demanded a dramatic shift in the way that the Democratic Party presents its message and approaches the politics of today. He emphasized that the party needs to first and foremost understand the character of the "revolution" that is currently taking place.
After that establishment, he believed that the party can then strive to become “more culturally normal, more reform-oriented, talk about service and patriotism, and we’ll continue to build on the legacy,” while also continuing to build on the legacy of the Biden administration.