Biden says California voters “will get Donald Trump” if they vote

President Biden is in the Western U.S. on Monday to tour wildfire damage and campaign for California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall effort.  Mr. Biden is appearing alongside Newsom just a few hours before polls open across the Golden State.

The president used his time in Idaho and California Monday to highlight the need to address climate change, and to invest money in his Build Back Better agenda. Extreme weather in the United States cost the U.S. $99 billion last year, he said, warning that record will be broken this year. 

“We can’t ignore the reality that these wildfires are being supercharged by climate change. It isn’t about red or blue states. It’s about fires, just fires,” the president said. 

Mr. Biden toured wildfire damage in Sacramento, California, as two massive fires in Northern California, the Dixie Fire and the Caldor Fire, both reached 65% containment this weekend. The Dixie Fire, which has been active for 60 days, has burned more than 900,000 acres. The Caldor Fire, which has been active since August 14, has burned more than 200,000 acres.

In a briefing with Newsom and local officials, the president said he’s seen bipartisan support for his infrastructure proposal. He said he couldn’t include all of his climate proposals into that plan, so those are included in the reconciliation package. 

“Whether that passes or not, exactly how much I don’t know, but we’re gonna get it passed,” he said. 

The president’s campaign appearance for Newsom in Long Beach, California, caps months of careful coordination between Newsom, California Democrats, and national Democrats, including some of the party’s other big names: Former president Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris and senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who have all either campaigned in person or on the airwaves for the governor.

Mr. Biden’s appearance on the night of the last full day of campaigning comes a few days later than some initially anticipated, but the withdrawal of U.S military forces from Afghanistan and the federal response to Hurricane Ida occupied much of Mr. Biden’s time in recent weeks.

In the words of one senior aide, the president is eager to campaign for Newsom, because “we’re going to have the back of people who’ve had our back.”

Aides familiar with Mr. Biden’s plans say his remarks late Monday will focus on three key areas of concern: Leadership during the pandemic, the dangers of climate change and the nation’s need to focus on it more intently, and perceived threats to women’s rights in the wake of Texas’ new abortion law — and how all three topics could be affected if Republicans seize control of the nation’s largest…