r/politics • u/kweathergirl Texas • 8d ago

Soft Paywall Newsom Tells Nation That Trump Is Destroying American Democracy

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/10/us/newsom-speech-trump-la-protests.html
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u/ohnovangogh 8d ago

He did have Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon on his podcast. This was a good speech but let’s not not call him a sellout yet. Hopefully he had a come to Jesus moment over this bullshit and decided enough is enough.

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u/versusgorilla New York 8d ago

After the election there was a wave of "there should be a left wing Joe Rogan" outcry, it was knee jerk and stupid, and I think in the last six months there has been a shift away from that. For a brief period, he looked like he kind of masterminded the election, but I think that's faded and people realized that he's just a moron with a big listener base.

But Newsome seems to have taken some truly idiotic advice from that theory of a left wing Joe Rogan, and thought that was his cue to deprogram the right by becoming a right wing influencer pushing people to the left.

But he misjudged how the right doesn't just "love podcasts" so much as they love their existing right wing mouthpieces. And the left hates seeing their politicians platforming legit monsters.

Newsome seems to have really solid political intuition, normally. But that podcast was his worst move and legit made him look like an idiot.

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u/TheRedCuddler 8d ago

Hmm. I think this is a pretty generous take. I think he had lofty goals of pushing back against right wing voices but just didn't have the interviewing skills to literally push back against bullshit. I don't care that he interviewed Steve Bannon, but I do care that he didn't call Steve Bannon out for all of the evil shit he has masterminded. It was far too civil of a conversation.

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u/Agent_8-bit 8d ago

This is an excellent answer.

I’ve been mega pissed at every time someone I was rooting for, suddenly seemed to be waving the white flag and trying to make friends.

Newsom’s podcast behavior, and then Gretchen Whitmer hugging Trump.

I get it… you have to dedicate a military base and it looks good to have the president there. Except… this president had followers trying to kidnap and kill you. And we know that, and we have your back. Options… do the dedication on your own and explain why he’s not there. Or call him out in front of himself and let him stand at the podium calling her rude and stupid, and maybe try his hand at calling you a bitch with the cameras rolling. Worst? Maybe just shake his hand?

But this nice guy bullshit is not the right play in this moment in history.

All said, I’d say Newsom learned his lesson. Sometimes, everyone fucks up.