Newsom and his team have successfully tapped into the need that many rank-and-file Democrats have for adopting a confrontational approach to Trump and his policies. But few people outside of California know much about the governor’s actual record — and many Democratic voters will be turned off to learn that his fervent opposition to a billionaire tax is part of an overall political approach that has trended more and more corporate-friendly.
A year ago, Newsom sent about 100 leaders of California-based companies a prepaid cell phone “programmed with Newsom’s digits and accompanied by notes from the governor himself,” POLITICO reported. One note to the CEO of a big tech corporation said, “If you ever need anything, I’m a phone call away.” While pandering to business elites, Newsom has slashed budgets to assist the poor and near-poor with healthcare, housing and food – in a state where seven million live under the official poverty line and child poverty rates are the highest in the nation.
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“Governor Newsom’s reluctance to propose meaningful revenue solutions to help blunt the harm of federal cuts undermines his posture to counter the Trump administration.” The statement said that the proposed budget “will leave many Californians without food assistance and healthcare coverage.”
So far, key facts about Newsom’s policy priorities have scarcely gone beyond California’s borders. “National media have focused on Newsom as a personality and potential White House candidate and have almost completely ignored what he has and has not done as a governor,” said columnist Dan Walters, whose five decades covering California politics included 33 years at the Sacramento Bee. “It’s a perpetual failing of national political media to be more interested in image and gamesmanship rather than actual actions, the sizzle rather than the steak, and Newsom is very adept at exploiting that tendency.”
Also see https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/10/gavin-newsom-presidential-candidate-democrats
Like Trump, Newsom breaks promises, serves billionaire interests and mistakes social media theatrics for leadership. Is that really what American voters will want in 2028? After Richard Nixon, Americans chose Jimmy Carter. After George W Bush, they chose Barack Obama. After Trump, they’ll likely want change – authentic, strong, moral leadership, a leader with competence and vision.
I don't think it is wrong to feel this existential about things, especially with someone as dangerous as Gavin Newsom who seems to be able to blatantly do evil shit but still get a hall pass from liberals because he had a good retort to Trump on facebook or something.
This inability and unwillingness to understand political leaders and have basic policy literacy about them will absolutely be terminal to our democracy if Gavin wins the next election just as much as it will be if Trump or one of his goon's do.
If one more damn liberal tells me "Now is not the time!" one more time my brain is going to leak out my ears and I will begin hysterically crying/laughing.
If you were given a microphone in front of a huge crowd of people, started detailing all the reasons why you think he shouldn't get a candidate for president, and then closed with "YEAH, LET'S TAR AND FEATHER THIS FUCKER, THEN LET'S BAN HIM FROM GOVERNMENT!!! HYAAAAAA!!!!"
You think those people would be likely to be still think you're to be treated seriously and still follow your suggestions?
We need people to speak to the urgency and existential nature of this moment. Yeah I don't literally support tar and feathering Gavin. Yes calling for violence is bad, fine I disagree with that but that is a five alarm fire moment so I'm less inclined to clamp down on that phrasing in this context. I am far more scared of the implications of Gavin playing a spoiler in this election.