Gavin Newsom's Major Mess Up | WATCH
If this is the best the Golden State's golden boy can offer, perhaps it's time for him to stick to scripted TelePrompTers and leave the "relating" to leaders who actually get it.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has once again proven why he's the poster child for out-of-touch liberal hypocrisy. At a Democratic fundraiser in Atlanta for Keisha Lance Bottoms' gubernatorial bid, part of his self-promotional book tour, Newsom attempted to "relate" to a predominantly Black audience by dredging up his personal struggles with dyslexia and boasting about his abysmal 960 SAT score. "I'm like you all... I’m a 960 SAT guy and I can’t read," he quipped, in what defenders weakly claim was self-deprecating humor.
But let's call it what it is: a cringeworthy, patronizing insinuation that Black voters share his academic shortcomings, reeking of the soft bigotry of low expectations that Democrats so often deploy.The backlash was swift and savage, exploding across social media and drawing fire from high-profile critics who saw right through the veneer. Rap icon Nicki Minaj torched Newsom online, accusing him of flirting with MAGA-style rhetoric while pushing divisive policies like supporting "trans kids" - a jab that highlights his progressive posturing gone awry.
Senator Ted Cruz piled on, slamming the remark as implying shared inadequacies with Black Americans, further fueling claims of racism and condescension.
Even conservative commentators like Dom Lucre shared the clip, declaring it a breaking scandal that exposes Newsom's disconnect from the very communities he pretends to champion.
This isn't Newsom's first rodeo in the arena of elitist blunders. The man who dined maskless at the ritzy French Laundry during his own draconian COVID lockdowns now positions himself as a relatable everyman? Please.
His dyslexia, while a genuine challenge he openly discusses in interviews, admitting it forces him to memorize speeches painstakingly, is no excuse for weaponizing it in a room full of voters he's clearly underestimating.
Critics argue the edited clip circulating online twists his words, but even the full context reveals a governor more interested in performative empathy than substantive policy. As one X user put it, this is "way beyond code-switching," implying Newsom views his audience as intellectually deficient.
With his eyes on higher office, whispers of presidential ambitions swirl amid his book promotion, Newsom's gaffe couldn't come at a worse time.
It reinforces the narrative that Democrats like him view minority voters as props rather than partners, perpetuating stereotypes while California crumbles under his watch: skyrocketing homelessness, energy crises, and economic flight.
As we have seen before, Newsom's ambition outpaces his awareness, turning what could have been a moment of vulnerability into a masterclass in political malpractice.