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Column: Instead of bashing other Democrats, Newsom needs to look inward

Gov. Gavin Newsom invites prominent followers of President Trump to the podcast and says Democrats learn that they are “kicking our ass.” He should look in the mirror.

Newsom represents much of what he thinks is Democrats wrong.

Plus, Democrats aren’t really kicking their asses. Most of the contests where the party has been suffering from nervous breakdowns, especially last year’s presidential election, were pretty close.

Regardless of what Newsom is saying, there is no major mystery about the 2024 outcome. Some losses could have turned into victory with better candidates and messaging.

The California governor launched a “This is Gavin Newsom” podcast earlier last month, saying he wanted to attract people who “deeply opposed” to shed public light on why Republicans are whipping Democrats in the election.

It sparked controversy among many democratic politicians and activists, as well as some media commentators. They criticized the governor for giving unnecessary voices to Trump boosters and their right-wing causes, but not blandly pushing them back.

The concept of generating a podcast is fine if the governor can fit them while dealing with homelessness, housing affordability, wildfires, climate change and Redlink budgets. A big “if”.

The podcast may help the governor sell his agenda to the public and strengthen his national profile for the potential presidential bid in 2028.

But it’s hilarious to streamline Democrats as a way to discover what is suffering. Newspapers, television and the internet are packed with opinions about it from all sides.

The Democratic brand is “toxic”

Particularly eye-catching was the close newswatcher, a recent interview with the governor, Times Reporter Taryn Luna.

Newsom told Luna that he was inviting conservatives on his podcast “to have a civil conversation to try and understand each other during this period of polarization.”

“Because our party is kicking our ass,” he continued. “Because Democrat brands are toxic, because people don’t think we care. They think we make the noise. They don’t think we’re supporting them. They don’t think we value them.

“They think we are elite. We talk to people. We talk about people from the past. They think we are smarter than others, we are very judged and full of ourselves. …We’ve lost our way.”

So, the California governor appears to understand what millions of Americans, especially Maga voters, think about Democrats.

But it’s exaggeration to say the party last year that the ass was “kicked.” It is the language reserved for the ass kicks of Democrat Walter Mondale by Ronald Reagan in 1984, George McGovern by President Nixon in 1972, and Republican Barry Goldwater by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris lost the decisive election college vote at a critical margin, but she barely lost the popularity vote at 1.5%. It’s not exactly a defeat.

The same goes for the Senate. Democrats lost their narrow control, but Republicans only won the majority of three seats.

In the House of Representatives, Democrats actually benefited two seats, while Republicans held thin razor control in five seats.

In California, Democrats have won three House seats, currently outnumbering Republicans 43-9.

Democrats suffered a triple loss of power in Washington, but not Shellac – nothing that a more attractive presidential candidate could not correct.

Newsom took part in the top flaw caused by the physical decline that President Biden insists on running for reelection. It took away a meaningful primary party that could have allowed another candidate to build national support.

“I’m going to the edge of the earth for this guy,” vowed Newsom, one of Biden’s most enthusiastic roots. In fact, the governor was confused across America for the 81-year-old president.

I should have asked Biden to bow.

Instead, he should have joined two realistic California Democrats (the success of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate candidate Adam Schiff) and forced Biden to be pushed down.

When Biden finally resigned, it was mid-July and it was too late to help the party. He had no desire to aspiring president to challenge Harris at the national conference. And the representatives, especially the newspapers, were like deer in the headlights.

Harris was too tied to Biden to run the winning race. She refused to challenge his policies and avoided two critical issues of the campaign: illegal immigration and inflation. Another candidate with the major fight may have been better against the highly flawed Trump and offered courttails to other Democratic candidates.

Newsom is one of the Democrats who got kicked in the butt last year. He and the Democratic legislative leaders vehemently opposed Proposal 36, a voting initiative to increase penalties for repeated retail thefts and hard drug crimes, including deadly fentanyl. The governor even tried to strengthen measures from the vote.

Voters handed over two to one proposition.

It was an example of, as the newspapers say, Democratic politicians don’t have the “value” of voters.

“Do you want to make a fuss?” One rap for the governor is that he makes a lot of noise that announces big plans, but it doesn’t always follow the promised outcome. New home construction is an example. Reducing homelessness is another thing.

Elitism? The scars of Newsom’s heritage are always a French laundry episode.

He attended a lobbyist friend’s birthday dinner with some at a smiling, very expensive restaurant in the Napa Valley wine country. It not only showed elitism, it was also very hypocritical. It happened during the Covid-19 lockdown when the governor urged Californians to hunt at home, mix and wear masks. There was no mask on the birthday bash.

“Did you lose your way?” Democrats need a new leader to follow.

Next time, I will rejoin the proven path of selecting presidential candidates at least during the primary election. No one needs a podcast to learn to “care.”

What else should I read?

Must see: Former Federal Health Director Xavier Becerra announces run for the California Governor

Rimes Special: The White House ordered the firing of LA federal prosecutors in the former CEO case of Fat Burger, sources say

Until next week,
George Skeleton


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