California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom lectured Thursday in an interview with MSNBC reporter Alex Wagner about his reasons for appearing on Fox News, calling it sometimes “demoralizing.”
Newsom appeared in an exclusive interview on “Alex Wagner Tonight” and spoke about a variety of political topics. During the debate, Wagner asked the California governor why he chose to continue appearing on Fox News and whether he felt he was “making a difference.” (Related: 'Political distraction': Gavin Newsom defends keeping Trump on California ballot)
“Do you feel like you're making a difference when you're on Fox?” Wagner asked.
Newsom replied, “I didn't know,” and the two joked about having a “family dinner” with his Republican father-in-law. California's governor said he “listens to Fox” out of “love and respect” for those with whom he disagrees, sometimes calling it “harsh” and “demoralizing.”
“Everyone wants and needs to be loved, right? What I'm talking about is the basic concept that humans, we're all just humans. And I have love and respect for those who disagree with me. I don't want to degrade or overtake anyone. In fact, the opposite is true. And I want them to know that I'm listening to Fox, too. I’m listening,” Newsom said.
“And it's hard, I mean it's hard. It can be demoralizing at times. But misinformation, disinformation is next level, and I'm like, 'Okay, I'm going to either deny that or accept that it's I could say that this is not the world I live in.''
Newsom went on to say he is appearing on platforms like FOX because he believes Democrats and Republicans need to “cross-pollinate.” (Related: A peek inside the secret 'homeless cave' cleared by police and volunteers in California: Report)
“Well, there's no leak on your side of our boat. We're all in this together. And we need to cross-pollinate, and we need to define that term. Divorce. That's not an option. Sorry, Marjorie Taylor Greene, or whoever said that. That's not an option. We can't afford that,” Newsom said.
“So to get on these platforms and show up and show as much respect as I can and assert myself is an abuse of myself that I can win intellectually by stating all these facts. Because I think we have to stop — going back to the beginning of this conversation and statistics. We get into the zeitgeist of how people feel and we have to push back on it. I We have to get into that bloodstream.”
The California governor previously appeared for more than 90 minutes on a Fox News debate with Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 30, moderated by Fox host Sean Hannity. The Red States vs. Blue States debate reportedly ended with Newsom's wife interjecting on behalf of the California governor, with DeSantis aides claiming it was because Newsom was “severely beaten.”
However, shortly after multiple media outlets published reports about the alleged interference, Newsom's aides denied the allegations. Additionally, ahead of the debate, Newsom's PAC ran television ads in both Florida and Washington, D.C., bashing DeSantis' abortion record.
