2mo ago

California’s governor has become an anti-Trump comedian. It’s 2017 all over again.

www.theguardian.com

California’s governor has become an anti-Trump comedian. It’s 2017 all over again | Dave Schilling

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2mo ago

California’s governor has become an anti-Trump comedian. It’s 2017 all over again

www.theguardian.com /commentisfree/2025/aug/23/gavin-newsom-trump-comedy

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At last, the world can finally see the Gavin Newsom I have come to vehemently tolerate – a man with a tendency to stumble into doing the right thing in the most annoying way possible.
God, this is fantastic writing.
- Nostalgia is a powerful thing, like a rank body odor or a French cheese.
  I have to agree.
  
  We're going to have to a-Brie to disa-Brie.
Gavin is tweeting and cultivating his image for 2028, and meanwhile Californians are still being abducted off the streets without due process and disappeared.
He's annoying but at least he's doing something. The salty comments and posts miss the point that nobody else is meeting the moment.
- Yeah. I'm especially suspicious of the big influx of posts that are all of a sudden super-concerned about his progressive credentials, as if the most important thing right now that we're trying not to go to Trump-prison for making a Democratic campaign contribution, is what Gavin Newsom's homeless policy was like. But this one I posted because I do feel like it's pretty accurate to what I don't like about Gavin Newsom on a general personal level. But yeah, he's doing fine, it's good that he's trying to mess up Trump, I wish more people would.
  
  It’s not a sudden influx, he wasn’t getting talked about much before now, and suddenly he’s in the news and the commentariat is mumbling about a presidential run.
  From my perspective, it seems he has no convictions and is willing to say and do what ever he thinks will get him the most positive headlines. He made those transphobic comments during the fucking Charlie Kirk podcast appearance, why the fuck did he do that? Because the opinion pieces were all winging about how Harris lost because she didn’t go on enough podcasts, and/or because she hadn’t been mean enough to trans people.
  He’s doing this now, not because he thinks it matters but because all the opinion pieces are saying this is what he should do. He’s letting the tail wag the dog. Maybe the opinion pieces are right at the moment, but what happens when they suggest something idiotic?
  He’s an awful candidate who will lose a presidential run at worst, and at best his milk toast careerism will knee cap the congressional battles that happen at the same time, leaving a divided congress incapable of passing real legislation.
  
  I would say I am concerned when he is willing to capitulate on my rights as a trans woman. I don't have any interest in him being the next face of the party
  
  I got both of these things in the mail this week:
  There is absolutely anti-Newsom astroturfing going on right now. Right-wing donors are throwing money at this messaging.
  Anybody whining too hard about Newsom's policies right now is actively supporting Trump's agenda.
  
  I'm especially suspicious of the big influx of posts that are all of a sudden super-concerned about his progressive credentials,
  What influx? It's a topic that's being talked about, but that's really it.
  
  It will be just like Harris. "Oh he's not perfectly perfect so I HAD to vote Trump." How's that working for everyone?
This writer's pearl clutching is pretty intolerable.
No, your inane tweeting was never going to do something during his first term, and quite frankly you were dumb for thinking that millions of people who actively avoid following you would be swayed by your clever quips.
But it is a fundamentally different story if you actually do something and run for office. If you get popular enough, the other side can't ignore you.

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