Gavin Newsoms carefully cultivated image as the Democrats next great hope is colliding with a series of self-inflicted political disasters that raise serious questions about his judgment, his rhetoric, and his respect for the very voters his party claims to champion.
According to WND, the California governor, widely viewed as a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, has in recent days managed to insult black voters, revive damaging questions about Kamala Harris rise to power, and unleash vulgarity at a reporter seeking basic documentation of his oft-cited dyslexia. One publication bluntly warned, Newsom sticks another fork in his faltering campaign before it begins with this remark A separate commentary observed, His attempt to raise his national profile for 2028 has imploded magnificently with unforced errors. And its still going. If he keeps this up, he may be able to show a ton of people in America how unfit he is for the job of president.
The latest controversy erupted during an event in South Carolina, moderated by former Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison, where Newsom attempted to recount his own political origin story. He mentioned how he got his political start with the help of former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, who appointed him to the citys Park and Traffic Commission, and then to the Board of Supervisors. But then Newsom mentioned Kamala Harris connection to Willie Brown.
Newsom then delivered the line that instantly ricocheted across social media and conservative media outlets. For those who dont know Willie Brown, you wouldnt know Kamala Harris without Willie Brown, Newsom said. Commentators immediately noted that the remark dragged back into the spotlight Harris early relationship with Brown, who was then 60 and married, at the very beginning of her political career.
That relationship was not merely personal; it came with tangible political and financial benefits for Harris. Brown appointed Harris to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and then to the Medical Assistance Commission positions that paid her more than $400,000 over five years, according to SF Weekly. [.] Brown himself has acknowledged his role in boosting her career, stating, I certainly helped with her first race for district attorney in San Francisco.
Reaction online was swift and unsparing, particularly from those who saw Newsoms comments as an inadvertent confession about how power really works in Democratic strongholds. One commenter summarized the implication with biting clarity: Translation: DEI hire with benefits. Brutal honesty from the coastal king. Others piled on with similar assessments, including, That might be the only truth hes ever told, and, I mean, I dont like the guy, but he IS completely correct about that.
The mockery extended to Newsoms own self-description of his academic record, which resurfaced in light of his recent remarks. Another commenter quipped, I believe him when he says he scored a 960 SAT. That line referred to a separate interview in which Newsom tried to present himself as an everyman, but instead came off to many as patronizing and condescending, especially toward black voters.
In that earlier appearance, Newsom declared, Im not trying to impress you. Im just trying to impress upon you Im LIKE YOU. Im no better than you. You know. Im a 960 SAT guy. You know. And Im not trying to offend anyone. You know, trying to act all there if you got 940. But literally a 960 SAT guy. I cannot. Youve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech. The attempt at relatability quickly backfired, as critics argued that he was effectively signaling to a predominantly black audience that he was stupid and cant read as a way of bonding with them.
Entertainer Nicki Minaj, hardly a conservative figure, delivered one of the most devastating takedowns of Newsoms performance. His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he cant read. This means my first read on him was correct. Hes been handed so many things & put in high positions he never earned or deserved. Do you wanna know the craziest part of this footage that will haunt him forever? Hes literally slowing his speech down & talking in a sporadic cadence. Hes not just TELLING them that theyre all probably stupid & probably cant read, hes LITERALLY SLOW-ING-DOWN-HIS-SPEECH to make them understand the words that are coming out of his mouth!!!! As if theyre children!!!! That means he REALLY BELIEVES theyre slow. Hes not just saying ithe didnt misspeak!!!! He BELIEVES it!!!! Do ya love it?!?!! Do ya just love it, black ppl?!????
Her comments cut directly against the progressive narrative that Democratic leaders are the natural allies and protectors of minority communities. Instead, Minaj portrayed Newsom as an entitled beneficiary of elite patronage, handed so many things & put in high positions he never earned or deserved, who views black voters as needing their political betters to talk down to them. For a party that constantly lectures the country about equity and respect, the optics could hardly be worse.
Compounding the damage, questions about Newsoms oft-repeated claim that he suffers from dyslexia have now triggered yet another controversy. Also, he has dyslexia, a reporter asked for documentation of the diagnosis. And was told to f*** off by the Democrats communications director.
The inquiry came from Susan Crabtree of Real Clear Politics, who lives in California and sought basic corroboration of the governors story. The reporter asked for any paperwork confirming his , a learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing. Crabtree pressed further: Newsom has also said he was diagnosed with dyslexia in 1972 that would be when he was five or six. Is there anything the governor can point to as proof of this? and, If the early paperwork is not available, is there any evidence of a more recent dyslexia diagnosis he can provide?
Rather than respond with transparency or even a routine denial, Newsoms taxpayer-funded communications director, Izzy Gardon, fired back with a vulgar, dismissive email. Gardon wrote, without redaction, Hey Susan, thanks for reaching out. Respectfully, f*** off. For a governor who presents himself as a polished, presidential-caliber leader, the episode underscores a deeper problem: a reflexive contempt for accountability and a belief that basic scrutiny can be brushed aside with profanity.
Taken together, Newsoms recent missteps paint a portrait of a politician whose national ambitions are colliding with his own arrogance, tone-deafness, and reliance on identity politics. From implying that black voters will relate to him because he cant read, to reminding the country that you wouldnt know Kamala Harris without Willie Brown, to unleashing crude insults at a reporter asking for simple documentation, the governor is offering Americans a revealing preview of what a Newsom presidential campaign might look likeand why many voters, especially those who value merit, personal responsibility, and respect for the public, may decide they have seen enough.
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