Gavin Newsom says Joe Biden should have sole authority over the nuclear codes at age 86

Gavin Newsom cheerily campaigns in Doylestown, PA on July 6, 2024

The journey continues, whereby I take on the solemn task of asking as many Democratic Party “insiders” I can find whether they think Joe Biden ought to have “sole authority” over the US nuclear launch codes at age 86. To review: 86 is the age Joe Biden would be if he serves out the full second term he currently insists he’s still running for. And while it’s of course highly advisable that all the frantic “Dem insiders” running around with their hair on fire be asked if Biden is capable of carrying out his responsibilities now, I do think pointing to his age 86 aspirations helps to crystalize and underscore the issue.

If there’s any “Dem insider” you might expect to have as skillful an answer as is possible under the circumstances, it’s probably Gavin Newsom. The gregarious California Governor just happened to be making a swing through Doylestown, Pennsylvania this morning on behalf of the Biden-Harris ticket. The humidity was already pretty brutal by his 11am speaking time. At 3pm, I have to think most of the (very modest and older-aged) crowd would’ve passed out; Newsom cheerfully distributed plastic water bottles to the thirsty.

Luckily the meager turnout enabled me to get fairly quick access to a glad-handing Newsom. “Should Biden have sole authority over the nuclear launch codes at age 86?” I asked.

“I think he’s extraordinarily competent,” Newsom replied. “I can’t speculate about 86, but right now…” It was here that I interjected to stress that, once again, 86 is not some hypothetical old age I conjured at random; it’s the age Biden would be during the second term he’s ostensibly seeking. “I think he has all the competence and all the capacity,” Newsom continued. “So, yes.”

The event this morning was peculiar on several levels. First, in order to even discover the location, you had to register through one of the Democratic Party’s online volunteer portals, and then be texted the address after some unknown approval process. So now I’ll presumably be inundated with “urgent grassroots appeals” for the rest of my life. You then had to provide your photo ID at the venue entrance, so your name could be checked against a printed list of registered attendees. If I wanted to, I surely could have challenged this obstacle on various Constitutional grounds, but for the sake of convenience I complied with all the weird strictures. There was also a loud contingent of pro-Trump protesters blasting music and such right in front of the office park where the small event was held — precautions were likely taken to keep out any MAGA intruders.

Next to me at the rally stood a woman in her 50s or 60s who appeared to not have the sunniest of dispositions. I asked her what she made of the whole Biden “situation.” She said, “I think he’s done, but until he is, I’m here to support him.” Not exactly the world’s most invigorating campaign message. Amusingly, one of the warmup tunes played over the loudspeaker was “Hit the Road Jack” by Ray Charles. The same lady I’d talked to remarked to her companion, “I don’t know if this song is appropriate.” Another guy with his young daughter hoisted on his shoulders remarked with a nervous chuckle, “Skip the song, guys… not the right song.”

So there you have it. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) confidently affirms that Biden has “all the competence and all the capacity” to retain sole, unchallengeable authority over the US nuclear launch codes at age 86. To give Newsom some credit, at least he answered the question, unlike the previous “Dem insider” I asked, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who literally ran away and engaged in all kinds of slapstick escape-route tactics to avoid it. The problem for Newsom is that it’s a question that simply doesn’t have a good answer. At least if you’re a loyal “Dem insider.”

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